Crossed Paths
by EvilRegalC
Summary: After her fiancé's death, Regina Mills sees herself raising her two sons on her own. She keeps telling herself she doesn't need help, she's a successful woman, one of the most successful lawyers in her firm, but what will she do when, due to her job, she crosses paths with her son's father? Will she be able to keep the secret she fought so hard to maintain? [OutlawQueen AU]
1. Chapter 1

**Hi guys, here it is a new story, an Outlaw Queen Au.**

 **I hope you like it and let me know if you want me to keep with it, your reviews are very important, so here we go :)**

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Chapter 1.

Regina is in her car, waiting for the school bell to ring and announce the end of another working week for everyone.

If there's someone that deserves a peaceful weekend with her boys after a chaotic working week at the firm, that someone is Regina Mills. She just can't wait to spend some time with her family. She'd been even thinking about taking the boys to a fun weekend at their house in the lake, since her sons always love it there, and Regina can take the chance and forget about her work for a couple of days, it's perfect.

She loves her work, really do, but sometimes, the court hearings worn her out more than it should, and she can tell this week hasn't been the worst. She doesn't want to think about what was yet to come, but she knows that, as soon as she steps into the office Monday morning, Sidney will give her this new case, one that she didn't even know the details yet, but she already can say that she hates it. Child custody. It's always painful for everybody, including the child, and being a mother of two boys, she hates to see that her job is partially responsible for a child's sadness. She tries always leave those cases for someone else if it's possible, but at this moment, no one is available and it's her job after all, she would have to put up with it.

As the school bell rings, Regina spots immediately her ten-year-old son walking down the few steps that separate the schoolyard from the large building, as he heads towards their car, carrying his bag on the back.

He doesn't seem too happy, and Regina has an idea why, but she can say she's not ready for this. The only thing she wants is to get home, make some snack for the kids (and maybe for herself) and get settled with them on the couch to watch a movie, or even one of the episodes of their cartoons for the umpteenth time. Why they insist on seeing the same thing over and over again, she doesn't understand, but at least for today, she's not even too much worried because she's sure she won't get through the opening scene. She's too tired and she just really wants an excuse to rest for a bit before starting to get everything ready for the weekend. There are clothes to pack, the house to clean, and she's sure she'll have to stop on the way home to buy diapers for Dylan since the 'potty training' is taking longer than she thought. Just what she needed.

It's the sound of the back door opening that brings her back to reality, as Henry pushes aside his brother's baby seat and tosses his bag onto the free spot, the heavyweight causing the pack to fall to the floor with a muffled thud.

She tries to ignore the fact that he slips into the seat beside her without picking up the bag (being a single mother, she had to learn to relax a little if she didn't want to go crazy with this type of things), but this time, his attitude is just an echo of his foul mood, and he should know already that she hates when he acts like this, in a rude way, "Henry, can you pick the bag?"

"I'll pick it up while you get Dylan," he answers, making her let out a breath as she starts the car to make their way out of the school parking lot. It's not worthy, Regina knows the reason for her son's bad temper, and it's always the same thing at this time of the year. It had been like this the year before and it would be like this the next one, and she couldn't do anything besides handling it as best as she could.

"How was your day?" she tries to change the topic, noticing how her son shifts in his seat, turning his face to the window and shrugging his shoulders. Why he insisted on shutting her out, she didn't know, but she didn't like it, not even a bit. It would be easier if he just talked to her and let her help him, "Henry..."

"I'm not going to school on Monday, okay?" he answers, rolling his eyes and turning to the window once again.

There it is, part of the reason for his mood.

Regina tightens her grip on the wheel, her breath changing its pattern as she fights to control the tears. If Henry thinks that this is just hard for him, he's totally wrong, Regina wanted to tell her son, but it wasn't worth it to argue with him. Besides, if he didn't want to talk, then she's the mother and she is the one in charge, "That isn't up for discussion," she hears Henry sigh, whining a ' _mom_ ' before turning completely to her to try to give her his best puppy look, but she's able to ignore, as she had learned to do after this ten years, "But we can talk about the weekend. Do you want to go to the lake house?"

"You are just asking that to make me feel better about Sunday and Monday," Henry argues, returning to his grumbling self.

Sunday is father's day and every year, on the Monday after, in one of Henry's classes, they used to do something to celebrate that day. It was usually a gift to offer the parents, and Henry used to love it, but after Daniel's death a year ago, her son begged Regina to let him skip that day of school the year before and she'd allowed him. The worst thing she could've done. This year he wanted the same, but he would have classes. He couldn't run from that day forever.

"Henry, Mary Margaret's not going to force you to do something you don't want-"

"You talked to my teacher?" Henry asks, annoyed, widening his eyes and turning completely to face his mother now that she had parked the car in front of his brother's day care, "I can't believe it, mom."

"Henry, I'm your mother, I want the best for you," she sighs, unbuckling her seat belt and cupping his cheeks in her hands, just for him to pull back from her touch, "I'm sorry, but you'll go to school on Monday," she shakes her head, collecting her bag from the back seat before opening her door, "And we'll go to the lake house this weekend. My job is a demanding one and I need to rest," she gets out of the car, trying to convince herself that her son in not right. She doesn't want to run away these two days because of her fiance's death. She just wants to rest and have a good time with her sons, "And I want the bag out of the floor before I come back."

Henry watches as his mother walks towards the building, wiping what he thinks to be tears in her eyes, before he gets out of the car to fix his bag. He didn't want to go to the lake house, not without Daniel. Swimming in the lake and riding horses around the field, was not the same without a father figure to join him. Who would teach Dylan when he was older? Their mother could play that role, but it wasn't' the same. Returning to his seat, Henry waits until his mother returns to the car, placing his two-year-old brother in the baby seat, before driving them back home.

###

Saturday morning Regina wakes earlier than usual to get everything ready for their small trip. The bags with the clothes were already done and waiting for them at the front door, but she still needs to pack Dylan's things and clean the house a little. There are baby toys splattered all over the place, as well as Henry's books placed over every table in that house. She just doesn't understand which book he is reading, so he would have to pack a bag for him if he wanted to take one with him for the weekend. Maybe this would take longer than she initially thought. She should start with the breakfast so when Henry wakes up, he could eat to then pack his things.

So she makes her way towards the kitchen, looking around to see what she can cook that can suit both herself and her two boys, since there is no time for a large buffet. She ends up deciding for juice and toasts, knowing that it wasn't the pancakes her sons loved at the weekends, but it would have to do.

As she was finishing putting the pieces of bread in the toaster, she's is interrupted by her older son's footsteps as he enters the kitchen, yawning and rubbing his eyes while he makes his way towards the benches at the counter to take a seat, "Morning, mom."

He seems better, not so moody as the day before, but the real challenge would be the following morning, at the father's day, so maybe Regina should enjoy it while she can. Making her way towards her son, she wraps her arm around his shoulders and drops a kiss on the top of his head, before she runs her fingers through his hair to fix his bedhead, "Good morning, baby. Juice?"

"Yes, please."

She pours the drink into two cups, as well as Dylan's baby's bottle, and focuses her attention back on the toasts. She would just finish this and then she would wake up her baby son so he could join them in the kitchen.

Henry is already sipping on his juice, his elbow placed on the table as he lazily places his head in his hand, almost sleeping on his feet.

She knows why he probably hadn't slept peacefully, and it's breaking her heart to see her baby like this, their fights don't help one bit - and Regina knows that - but it's hard for her too, and she just wanted him to understand that.

"Don't worry, I bet you'll sleep better today after a two-hour ride and a day in the lake," she says, making him frown at her and ask what she's talking about, "Shouldn't you know already that I know you and your brother better than the back of my hand?"

She notices how the corners of Henry's lips start to tilt up, and is enough for her to feel better. He was in a better mood and was starting to accept this weekend, and she's sure it will be good for everyone. He would be having fun in no time.

"I'll get your brother. Eat your toast," she says, placing the plate with the snack in front of him before dropping a kiss on the top of his head once again and making her way towards the door.

He would end up overcoming this. He just needs time and something to keep him entertained. That's exactly what Regina planned to do.

###

The two-hour ride hadn't been so bad as she thought. Usually, Henry would put his headphones on and Dylan would fall asleep after three minutes on his seat, but this time, she actually managed to keep a conversation with her older son, letting him get lost in his music from time to time so he wouldn't get bored of her.

She knows he also needs his space. Regina doesn't want to let him isolate himself and have him feeling much as she has been feeling lately: lonely, but she wants him to know that he can talk to her, don't wanting to push him either. He will talk to her when he feels comfortable with it, especially about Daniel's death. This is why she keeps herself from falling in love again. Of course, it's too soon for that anyway, but even thinking about the future, Regina doesn't see herself letting some other man entering her life, not when that man would be a role model for Dylan, just as Daniel was for Henry. Besides, she couldn't afford to subject her kids to one more loss if anything happened or case things didn't work out between her and another man, and she needed to think about her sons, they were the priority, not her.

So two hours just flew by and when they realized, they were already in their lake house, carrying all the bags inside and filling the rooms. The house has three chambers, Regina's, her parent's and one for her sister, who Regina is sure had never set foot in that place.

She couldn't judge her. Until she has her own family to share a few days with, Regina had never been a fan to spend her vacations in this place. Not that she didn't like it, but after her father's death, she didn't see the reason why she should visit the house, until she met Daniel. The stable boy her mother had hired and had immediately fired after Regina had fallen for him. He'd been the first person to make her drive two hours every weekend with a two-year-old, just to see him.

They were twenty-one at that time, and after being a mother at nineteen, Regina knew her mother would never approve their relationship. Cora would always say she needed a grown man to help her raise ' _the brat she insisted on keeping'_ , and she had actually introduced her to one of her rich clients when she was helping him with the death of his wife. Leopold Blanchard. He didn't even have the chance to meet Henry, Regina knew their 'dates' wouldn't last and she didn't want him near her newborn child.

Daniel, on the other hand, had been more than a father for the boy. He'd raised Henry with Regina, and after six years together, they'd had their own child, just for Daniel to die when Dylan was months old. It was just another thing to have her mother bugging her about. Instead of helping her, and Henry, to deal with grief, Cora had always said that Regina had got into another trouble for getting pregnant again, so she hadn't even made an effort to meet her grandsons.

Fine for Regina, she doesn't want her boys near her either.

Pushing away her thoughts, she focuses on making the beds. Regina would sleep with Dylan, afraid to let him by himself in a room where he didn't have a baby bed to keep him from falling, while Henry got settled on one of the other rooms.

She had everything ready, and after packing a quick lunch for them, they make their way towards the lake, for a picnic as a family and a refreshing swim in the water.

###

With a steady focus on her boys, Regina smiles to herself and takes a deep breath of fresh air. Henry and Dylan are by the water, playing and splashing each other, while she remains in her towel, enjoying the sun and waiting for a call from her best friend.

Regina actually considered to save these days just for the three of them, but Henry is so close from her friend and her boyfriend that she knows this visit will be good for him. The thing is, she should have arrived already. She said she would call as soon as she stepped into the property, but, so far, the brunette hadn't heard from her. Maybe she's being impatient, maybe she should try and enjoy this time alone with the boys, but she can't deny she's really excited to see her older's son reaction to the surprise, she's sure he will love it.

"I knew you would be here," Regina hears from behind her, causing the brunette to turn around to see her best friend and her boyfriend staring at her with warm smiles on their faces.

"Emma," Regina chuckles, standing up and wrapping her arms around her friend in a hug, "I thought you were lost."

Regina shifts her attention to Killian to greet him, at the same time her sons run towards the blonde to launch their arms around her and encircle her in a hug as well, "We just went to the house to leave the bags. The door was open, I hope it's okay."

"Of course," Regina smiles, watching as the boys return to their spot by the water with Killian, at the same time Emma gets herself settled in her towel beside the brunette.

Emma is one of Regina's closest friends, had been the new student in Regina's class when she got into college, and one of the few persons who had kept in touch when the brunette got pregnant and had to drop the classes. At the time, it had been awful for Regina, have to give up from her career to start a family so soon, but then, when she settled down with Daniel after three years, she had been able to get back to college and balance her personal life with the professional, earning an invitation to work at the firm where she was currently. She couldn't say it hadn't changed her life completely.

"So, how was the ride?" Regina asks, watching as the blonde lets herself fall back to the cloth, her back hitting the floor with a heavy sigh as her arm raises to cover her eyes in a dramatic gesture.

"Long," she complains, moving her arm so she could keep the sun out of her eyes at the same time she looks at her friend and offers a smile, "Killian didn't let me drive."

A genuine laugh leaves Regina's body at the thought of an annoyed Emma complaining the whole ride. She loved to drive and having to remain in her seat the whole time while another person was driving her own car could be awful. But Regina understood why Killian did that, Emma was a bit too excited when it comes to driving, and probably her boyfriend just wanted to have a smooth ride. Nothing strange there, "I would invite you to drive my car tomorrow, but Dylan has to sleep, otherwise he'll get grumpy."

"Very funny," Emma replies, causing another chuckle to leave the brunette as they change their gazes towards the boys, "How is Henry?"

Regina's eyes shifts for her older son, but her smile fell from her lips quickly at the reminder of the reason for her best friend to be there, "Better. We'll see tomorrow."

"Regina, he just needs help to get through this," Emma tries to assure, rising to sit up straight and look at her friend. Regina's just staring blankly ahead of her, no expression on her face and Emma wonders if she's just trying to pretend to be brave or if she's really thinking about something, "How about you?"

"Pardon?" she replies, turning to face the blonde with a puzzled look on her features, "Me what?"

Emma rolls her eyes, removing the hair from her face before she turns back to the brunette once again to answer her, "Are you holding up?"

"Emma, I think I can handle a loss better than a ten-year-old. It's Henry I'm worried about."

"I don't doubt that."

Regina sighs heavily at her friend's response, trying to focus her attention back on her sons, but she could feel Emma's burning gaze on her, and she knew there was something she wasn't telling her, "But?" she asks, taking the blonde by surprise, "Spit it out, Swan."

"Henry's dad," she finally says, causing Regina to frown and regret immediately for pushing her to talk. She should know already that Emma was up to no good, so why was she so stubborn? She should have let her with her thoughts, "Did you never wanted to know about him? Let _Henry_ know about him-"

"Henry _knows_ about him," Regina argues back, standing up and preparing to leave before the conversation goes too far.

"Well, yeah, but he doesn't know who he is."

 _That's because he doesn't need to know_ , Regina wants to reply, but instead, she keeps her composure, places her hands on her hips and explains, "I don't want my son near a man like him," and it's true. What he'd done to her was far from right and she didn't want her son to have a dad who didn't know how to treat women, "Now, will you stay here or will you join us in the water?"

Emma rolls her eyes, already expecting her friend to run away from that topic, but she doesn't insist, instead, she stands up too, grabbing Regina's hand and running towards the boys.

...

Regina rushes towards her sons to join them in the lake. Henry startles at first, but when his mother picks him up and falls with him into the water, he can't help but play along and laugh with her.

He loves when she is this relaxed. Her job tends to leave her stressed and worried, but otherwise, she would always play with him and his brother, and they would always have a good time, "Mom, what was that for?"

Regina wraps her arm around his waist, laughing as she swims with him towards the water's edge so he could get on his feet, "You were in need of a dip-"

"Mommy!" their conversation is interrupted by the cheerful cry of her younger son, who has his arms stretched up to her and seems to want to play as well.

"I think you need too," Regina giggles, picking him up and entering the lake so he could be waist-deep, Henry following right behind.

Emma remains at the edge with Killian, with their arms around each other and foreheads pressed together, exchanging a few kisses when they thought anyone was paying attention to them.

"Eww, mom, gross," Henry says, pointing at her mother's friend and burying his face in the crook of Regina's neck.

She can't help the laugh that leaves her body. He used to have the same reaction when she and Daniel kissed in front of him and they always needed to break the kiss due to their laugh. They would even do that to tease their son, but today, she's on her kid's side so she will play along with him, "Henry, ready for some fun?"

"Can I, mom?" he asks, his eyes lightening up at his idea.

Without thinking twice, Regina nods her head, and before she knew, her son was swimming towards the couple, stopping a few meters from them and throwing water everywhere around his mother's friends, making Emma freeze in her spot.

Regina knows she's in trouble as soon as the blonde's eyes meet hers, but she can see the amusement in them as well, so she remains in her spot, holding her younger son and praying that having a two-year-old in her arms would be enough to stop any payback.

###

She lays Dylan in the middle of the king-size bed, putting some pillows beside him to keep him from falling while she makes her way towards Henry's room to check on her older son.

She has been thinking about what Emma had said at the lake and she doesn't know why, but she can't help the fear she is feeling towards the possibility of Henry's father be looking for them. No. It isn't possible. He doesn't know about the boy and she'd made sure that it would remain that way. Henry doesn't need his father, especially being _him_. Besides, in Henry's mind and heart, his father was Daniel and it was exactly him who Regina has seen in that role as well. He was the father of her two boys and she didn't want any other men in her life, she already had two to fill her heart.

Leaving her older son's bedroom and without any wish to go back to bed and keep thinking about that issue, Regina continues her path towards the kitchen to fill a glass with fresh water and pour it down her throat. She has to ease her mind if she doesn't want to be up all night. She needs to rest, knows what day will be tomorrow and knows even better that it will not be easy, even if she has already a surprise planned for Henry. Maybe it's also that that is helping to keep her awake, the anticipation to know if he will be okay with that or if he'll just think that she's pushing him too soon.

"Still awake?" Emma's voice interrupts her thoughts, almost making her choke on the drink as she turns around to face her friend.

"Can say the same about you," Regina replies, placing the glass of her water back into the sink and watching as the blonde walks towards the counter to pull a chair for her to sit. Just what she needed, having her friend pushing her to talk about this issue in the middle of the night, when all Regina wants is to be able to go back to bed and fall asleep, "I was just checking on Herry, what it's your excuse?"

"I heard you and I thought I'd keep you company," Emma shrugs, ignoring the defensive tone in Regina's voice, even if she knows her friend too well to know that it's not the only reason for her insomnia, "So, you want to go back to bed?"

No, she doesn't. If she comes back upstairs, she will just keep thinking about this, so she can either talk about her plans with Henry the next day and ease some of her worries, or she will lose a night of sleep, "I'm going to take Henry to ride tomorrow."

"You will? That's great," Emma replies excited, watching as she sees a small smile appearing on Regina's lips. She knows how afraid Regina is to see Henry's reaction. Riding horses was something they used to do with Daniel and the brunette is afraid she may hurt her son with her suggestion, but Emma doesn't believe that, she really believes Henry will love it, so when her friends corrects herself and says that it's only if he wants, she's quick to assure that he'll, he'll want for sure to go for a ride with his mother, "And I'll watch Dylan for you."

"Thank you, Emma," Regina replies sincerely. She knew she could always count on her friend, even if sometimes she was too much snoop and liked to give her own opinion about other people's business. But Regina knew she just wanted to help, and at this moment, she could use a bit of her goodwill, "Emma, do you think I'm selfish for keeping the secret about Henry's father from him?"

Emma sighs, shaking her head and looking straight into Regina's eyes, "That was not what I meant with that conversation-"

"I know," Regina assures, afraid to make her friend feel guilty about that, "But I'm asking if you think that Henry should know. He's suffering from Daniel's death and maybe this could give him hope."

Emma almost cringes at that. The last thing Regina should do is give him hope for another father when she doesn't want him in Henry's life. Besides, he wouldn't forget about Daniel just like that. He had been his father almost since the beginning and no one would erase that from his mind, "Regina, I thought about that and maybe you're right. Probably it's an awful idea if you don't want them to meet. Would you want to introduce them?"

"What? No," Regina widens her eyes, remembering what he had done to her when they slept together, "I just wanted Henry to feel better knowing that his real father is still alive."

"He knows that," Emma explains, trying to make her see her point on all this, "You said he knows his father is out there somewhere. Why telling him who he is if you don't want them to meet?"

Emma is right. This is all a crazy idea that she is building in her head due to her tiredness. She should go to sleep and let Emma do the same. But who could judge her for wanting to see her son happy? She is just a mother, after all, and every parent wants the best for their kids, she's not any different.

"Regina, would it be so bad if they met each other?" she hears after a moment of silence, turning to look at her friend disbelieving. Emma knows what had happened, knows how Regina had started to fall in love with him before he had hurt her the way he did, knows how hard her life had been when she discovered she was pregnant at nineteen, and she still wants her to bring him back into her life when she's finally free? Not a chance. She just wants peace now, to raise her boys in her own way, "It would."

Emma nods, not wanting to argue about that issue anymore, "Alright, you should sleep. You have a big day ahead tomorrow."

"I have," Regina agrees, making her way towards her bedroom to see if the sleep could claim her now.

###

The next day, Regina tells Henry about her idea, earning her one of Henry's smiles she loved and a bear hug from her baby. She hasn't seen him smile like this for a while now and it warmed her heart. She knows father's day can be hard for him, just as it is for her, after the tragic events about a year ago, but they would have to overcome that, and what better than a mother and son day? They could enjoy their time together and it would keep their minds entertained for a while. They were determined to enjoy it the best they could.

It's just after lunch when they make their way towards the stables, and Regina is finishing getting her horse ready for their ride. Pride, it's his name. Henry had chosen it a few years ago and Regina had never been able to change it. She actually likes it, and she loves this steed, it reminds her of her Rocinante, her horse for most of her youth.

Regina had offered Henry to be him to take it, but his eyes are fixed on another horse, mare, that she knows also too well.

Finishing up with her saddle, she hands the reins of her horse to her son and offers him a smile as she closes the door of the steed's compartment, placing her hands one her waist and looking around before address the boy, "So, which one it will be?"

She notices how his gaze shifts to the floor, at the same time his hand stops on the horse's face, caressing it.

"Mom, I wanted..." he starts, but the words die in his throat when he raises his head to look at Regina.

She knows what he wants, and she doesn't blame him for it. Despite he has his own horse, Henry used to ride that mare with Daniel, so she's not surprised when he wants to take her for their first ride after Daniel's death.

She cups his face, drawing a lazy pattern with her thumb on his cheek as she continues for him, "You want Daniel's mare."

As she was expecting, Henry nods his head, the best he can under Regina's grip, "Are you mad?" he asks, wrapping his arms around his mother when she closes the distance between her and her son, pulling him into a hug and holding him against her.

"Of course not, honey," she assures, placing a kiss on the top of his head before make her way into the mare's compartment to tack her up, "Now let's get her ready for the ride, although I think you know how to do this and are just using me for your benefit."

That grants her another chuckle from her son. He actually knows how to tack up the horse, but it'll be safer if it's his mother doing it and, besides, he's having fun with Regina's steed.

"Mom, you never showed me a picture of Rocinante," Henry remembers, caressing the horse's neck and failing to see the look on his mother's face.

It's still difficult to talk about it, it had definitely been her special horse, even if she has Pride now, which she loves it, but Rocinante had been with her at various times of her life, even through the most difficult ones.

"Remind me when we get home, alright?" she smiles, approaching his son and switching the reigns with him. She doesn't mind talking about Rocinante with her son, she actually wants to tell him everything about him, but she doesn't think this is the best moment since they are here to having fun.

"Should we get out of here, then?" Henry gets up on the horse, waiting for his mother to do the same as he challenges, "I bet I can beat you in a race."

"Slow down, champ," she giggles, guiding both horses out of the stables, "That mare is not that young anymore, you've to spare her."

"Alright, we go to the tree on the other side of the field and that's it."

She eyes him suspiciously, bringing her index finger to her lips as if she is considering his offer. Of course, she won't say no, the run it's good for the horses to exercise and the field is perfect to take the ride, besides, Henry is more than ready for a race, "You had me."

Henry smiles at her, positioning his mare beside Regina's horse to start counting, "On my mark."

"Okay," Regina replies, listening closely and smiling when his son leaves ahead of her. She's so proud of him. She and Daniel had taught him to ride at an early stage and she planned to do the same with Dylan. She just hoped she could count with Henry to help her this time.

...

Regina helps her son to get off from the horse when they reach the tall tree. She'd let him win, of course, and now she would have to hear him bragging about it the rest of the day. Not that she minds, all she wants is to see him this happy, so if she needs to lose a few horses races and have him talking about it the whole day, she'll gladly do it, as long as he keeps that smile on his face.

She seats with him against the trunk, wrapping her arm around his shoulders and allowing him to lean against her. She missed their moments like this, when he would just allow her to hold him in her arms and to spoil him, even if the reason for this one is not the best.

She thinks how Daniel would like to see him grow, would be proud of him if he could see how Henry seems to remember everything he'd taught him, at least about the horses, and she just hopes she doesn't mess with it when it comes to Dylan. She'd taken her younger son to the stables a few times, had taken him for some rides with her, even when Henry didn't want it, but she's a mother, and it lacks her the adventurer side that will allow her son to improve. She's afraid to gallop with him on the horse, and she remembers quite well the first time Daniel did that with Henry, he'd almost three years old, and she was panicking, she trusted Daniel, but she hadn't been able to stand by and watch, at least for the first time, so she'd received them at home, with some cookies and milk, and she'd chosen to trust that task to her boyfriend. Now she couldn't do that, so if she wanted Dylan to follow in the footsteps of his father and brother regarding the horses, she'd have to leave her fears behind and do the things on her own.

"Mom, I miss dad," her thoughts are interrupted by her son's voice, shattering her heart into million pieces as she hears those words and, in that moment, it just makes her feel even more selfish for keeping information about Henry's biological father from him. He's already old enough to know some things and the last thing she wants is to make him feel he's in the dark about this issue. She wants to help him, and she knows that questions will probably start to appear at some point, so why don't make him feel comfortable about it? She's even quite surprised that he hadn't asked anything so far, but she thought that it wasn't something in his mind while he had Daniel to raise him, but what about now? Regina is afraid he's holding himself for her sake.

"I know, baby, me too, and... Henry, I know nobody will ever replace Daniel as your dad, but," she rubs her hand across his back, caressing him as to make sure he knows everything would be okay, "I want you to know you can talk to me about your real... biological father," she corrects, knowing that Henry would say his real father is Daniel, and she didn't want him to use that to run away from this talk, "Do you want to ask me something?"

She waits as Henry thinks for a moment, and Regina feels that few seconds of silence lasting an eternity. She thinks how she'll explain to him that her pregnancy had been unexpected, and how she knew, at that time, that his father wasn't prepared to take that responsibility so soon in his life. She hasn't even given him an opportunity, but knowing him as she knew, and after what he'd done, she decided she didn't need him, so she'd chosen to move on with her life. It had been better for everyone.

"How was he like?" she hears Henry's voice from beside her, pushing her away from her thoughts once again, and she can say she wasn't expecting that question, was expecting him to ask why he'd never met his father, why she'd hidden him from him, but she never thought he would want to know anything specific about him, "I mean, do I look like him? I always thought I looked like Daniel."

A sad smile appears on Regina's lips. Of course, he thinks he looks like Daniel, even if he's practically all Regina's side. Henry needs a male figure to follow and it's no surprise that he'd chosen Daniel.

"And here I am, thinking you had taken everything from me," she giggles, kissing the top of her son's head and tightening the grip around his body, "but I can make you a picture if you want."

It's better than telling him the whole story about her pregnancy. At least this way her son could picture his father in his mind and probably have a better image of him than the real one. Not that she liked the idea of fooling her son, but he wouldn't meet the man, so what harm could do if, in his mind, his father was a decent guy?

She feels her son's head nod against her chest, since he still didn't have moved from her embrace, so she takes a deep breath, recalling in her mind the significant features of her son's father, and starts, "He had blue eyes, really adorable dimples and, on second thought, I think I lose when it comes to your hair. You have his color," she says, those last words almost a whisper as she runs her fingers through his hair.

"I wanted blue eyes, like Dylan, like Daniel, like... my father," Henry confesses, and as selfish as it seems, Regina is glad Henry doesn't have his father's eyes. She loves his hazel ones and at least it weren't a reminder of that man.

"I love your eyes," she offers, relishing in the silence it had settled between them after her answer. It isn't awkward, it is... soothing, just a mother and son enjoying their afternoon together.

"Did you love him?" Henry asks after a while, causing Regina to look down at him, only to see he is still with his head placed on her chest, his eyes facing the ground, so she couldn't quite see his expression.

How is she supposed to tell her son that she had got pregnant with a one-night stand with her former best friend, after both of them had drunk too much in their night out with some of their friends? It wasn't the fairytale Henry was certainly expecting, but she takes a deep breath, shrugs her shoulders and answers, "I cared deeply about him."

And it's true. They were best friends back then and they cared about each other, at least she cared about him. Sometimes she wonders how is he now, does he have a family of his own, a wife, more children... but then she thinks about their following morning and she pushes away all those thoughts, focusing on her own boys, her own family, "But you know what?" she says, urging Henry to sit straight so she could cup his chin and make him look at her, "Now I have two kids and one of them is under Emma's care. I think it's better if we go save your brother, don't you think?"

Henry laughs at that, nodding his head and leaving Regina's embrace to getting up on the horse and make their way back into the stables. They love Emma, but she's not mother material, at least for now.

###

Monday morning, after father's day, as Regina steps into her office, she notices the pile with her new case placed over her desk. She already knows what it is, and she doesn't like it, but she'll have to do it. She knows it is about child custody and right now, she just wants to know who her client is and what are that person's wishes. She always advises for a shared custody, she believes it is, in most cases, the best for the child, but she'll have to know the whole story, so she's already preparing herself for a long day at work, just today that she wanted to pick the boys early from school. She would do her best to accomplish that.

She seats at her desk, placing her coffee in front of her before organizing the paperwork so the only fold in her hands is the one with her new case, and she casts an eye over the papers, immediately understanding that she will be dealing with a father. She just hopes he is a good one, otherwise, it's always hard for her having to fight for the child's custody to stick with someone that doesn't deserve it. She knows she shouldn't mix things, but she always ends up thinking about Henry. She would fight for him if she saw herself in a situation like this.

She focuses her attention back on the task at hand, realizing she had been reading the same sentence over and over again, and this time, she's decided to focus on work, her lips tilting up in a sad smile as she scans the information about the child: boy, four years old, only child (thank god for that, it's even worst when are siblings involved).

Regina flips through the papers back to the beginning, an attempt to keep her curiosity under control, and allows herself to skip the boring information about custody that she'd already read a million times due to other similar cases, and goes straight towards her client's file, her eyes widening when she reads the name impressed on the paper.

Robin Locksley.

She just hopes this is a giant coincidence. It's not him, right? It's not her former best friend, who knocked her up ten years ago... Maybe he had done the same to another woman and she had decided to tell him just to be in this situation now... What if he finds out about Henry? Will he drag her into a situation like this too? No, she can't think about these things right now, she will talk to Sidney and will beg him to change cases with her, will that make her a bad professional?

She's really not concerned about that right now. The only thing in her mind is how she will try to keep her job and fight for this child to stay with this man, while she tries to do the opposite and hide Henry from him at the same time.


	2. Chapter 2

**Hi, so here it goes a new chapter, I know it's kind of short but I was able to post it quickly :)**

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Chapter 2.

Regina never expected her day to become this mess when she got up from her bed that morning. She already had to deal with Henry's mood about his prospects of that day at school and she didn't want to deal with her son's biological father on the same day, but she knew she would have to call him, he was probably waiting for a call from the firm and if she didn't do her job, everything would fall on her.

God, with millions of people in the world, why would she have to work with the father of her child? It was a rather unfortunate coincidence that would just bring her problems after problems, not to mention the poor child that already had to share Henry's father and now would be in the middle of all this... Wait. Henry has a brother. As if this wasn't a mess already, now she will be living with the knowledge that his son has a little brother that he can't meet, she isn't sure if she can hide that from him.

"Hey, beautiful," her thoughts are interrupted as her co-worker appears at the door of her office, making his way towards her desk and settling himself on the chair across from her. She can't help but notice the fold in his hands, maybe he'll give her another case, Sidney knows how she hates child custody and, if she can say so, she knows he has kind of a crush on her and is always putting her first, even before him, "I wanted to check on you, is that okay?"

Sometimes she hates to be always the bad guy, always turns him down on his attempts to win her over, but she just lost her fiancée a year ago and she has two kids to think about, she doesn't think she's ready to jump into another relationship, even if he says that she doesn't need to have a commitment with him, that he just wants, in his words, 'give it a chance and see if she feels good about it'. Not really, she likes him as a friend, a good friend, even, but she dreads the moment she'll let herself fall in love and let that someone enter her sons' life. It's too much important to be treated as an attempt to make her feel better over Daniel's death (not that she believes that would happen).

"Sure, I'm just..." she fumbles with the papers, trying to cover her real thoughts, about him, about Henry's father, as she gathers all the sheets of her case that are spread all over her desk and slides them into a folder, "I was reading my new case, but I'm done."

Her excuses are not enough to convince Sidney. He knows she doesn't like that type of cases, but that doesn't seem enough to leave her all that shaken, either. She worked with these type of things before and she always found a way to works things the best way possible, she even might not want to admit, but she was pretty good (as with everything that fell into her hands). Maybe the fact that she is a mother didn't penalize her, maybe it is an added value, putting together with her natural gift.

"Regina..."

"What about your case?" she interrupts quickly, putting a smile on her lips and hoping to beat him in his questions. The last thing she needs is a hope speech from Sidney, especially when that talk would end up digging through her past, one that she doesn't want to revisit, but that will be impossible if this Robin is _her_ Robin. Besides, she wants to try to keep her friendship with Sidney out of this since Emma will have to know. She's not made of steel, she'll have to open up with somebody and certainly will not be with her co-worker that would punch the guy in the face if he found out what had happened between them ten years ago.

"Divorce, nothing major," he dismisses, his eyes locked on the picture she has framed over her desk, one of her and Daniel with their sons at the hospital the day after Dylan was born. It always seemed to draw Sidney's attention, and she believed it was not even because of her, it just seemed he genuinely yearned for that to happen to him someday, and it could, if he just got off his mind that it would be her to give him that. She had her family already and she didn't believe she would be capable of raising another child, even if she wanted, and Sidney deserved to have a child of his own.

It's just then that she notices what he'd said. His case was about divorce, something Sidney himself had been through at least two times if Regina remembers correctly. Maybe it was because of that that he was so adamant to keep her safe, because she'd been probably the only constant woman in his life since she'd joined the firm, and she is sure that happened because she'd never let their relationship cross over the friendship.

"God, we make quite the pair," she jokes, and she knows she has to be careful when she talks to him so she can't give him false expectations, but she also knows he understood she was referring to their cases when he genuinely chuckles at her. What were the odds? She receives a child custody that will probably end up with her every effort to keep Henry away from his biological father, at the same time her co-worker has to re-experience, even if from the outside, all the stages of a divorce. It's definitely not their lucky day.

"I told you about mine, it's your turn. How bad it is?" he asks, gesturing with his eyes towards her folder.

She wonders what she should tell him, will definitely not say that she slept with this man ten years ago and that, by the way, he's Henry's father so she will be more than a hypocrite when she has to help him to keep his son while, at the same time, she hides Henry from him. Does Sidney even know that Henry's not Daniel's son?

"I got a father and you know it's ten times more difficult to work with them," she tries the other way out, hoping this will be enough to convince Sidney.

One thing she learned by the experience: usually the mothers get the custody. It's the system they have, so she'll have to work three times more just to have a chance on this one, which just will mean, less time with her own sons, fewer hours of sleep, more headaches and, the worst part, more Robin. She's not even thinking about the possibility of him not wanting her as his lawyer, or if they are not able to work together, she's already admitting that he'll listen to her, something that probably won't be so linear.

"I don't even know where to start," she confesses, sighing as she takes the papers out of the fold once again, placing them on her desk and scanning Robin's file one more time.

This will happen, she will have to talk to him and it will be today. She will see him again after ten years, after their night together.

"I'd start by contacting him," Sidney jokes, standing up from his seat and grabbing his own fold as he places the chair back in its place, "And I should let you work. If you need anything you know where to find me."

She knows, and despite she's sure she won't use Sidney's help in this specific case, she feels a little better knowing she's not completely alone.

It feels good to have someone looking after her, she doesn't have that feeling since Daniel's death, and it's for that reason that she works so hard, so that her sons won't feel the same. She's the only one taking care of them now, and it's not that she minds, it's something she loves to do and she knows she's being successful at, but a help is a help, and she always heard that it's always welcome.

So she thanks Sidney anyway, smiles at her co-worker before he closes the door of her office behind him, and focuses her attention back on the papers when she's alone once again.

Robin Locksley, thirty years old, divorced... so he's divorced, he didn't just get the woman pregnant it seems, Regina thinks bitterly.

How is she supposed to be supportive in his case if even before she knows this woman, she feels more sympathy for her than really for a man who once claimed to be her best friend?

Right, that will be because she knows what this woman might feel if she loses this child. On the other hand, Regina almost feels bad to think Robin is incapable of getting attached to someone, but that is her impression of him after they had slept together ten years ago. She doesn't want to set aside the idea that he might have changed, but she doesn't want to cling to it either.

Damn it, what a mess. The first thing to do is to contact him and become acquainted with the situation, and then she will think on the best approach, the best for the child, and will try to do her job at the same time she tries to ignore the personal issues between them.

So... Marketing manager, she continues to scan his information, her hand automatically reaching for her phone to dial his number when she gets to his contact information.

She's nervous, afraid even, but she realizes she's kind of curious to hear his voice when she's welcomed with the beeping sound at the end of the line, telling her she's about to face that British accent after all these years.

She's sure that was one of the things that made her _start_ to fall in love with him back then, that and the blue eyes and adorable dimples she'd described to Henry the day before, so she's worried he will be back in her good graces as had happened before, when he just had to greet her with his ' _Hello, love_ ', and that gentle voice.

"Robin Locksley," she hears on the other end of the line, causing her heart to beat ten times faster in her chest, just by hearing him on the phone. It's him, there are no doubts, it's really him, and this time he's being much more professional, it seems almost rehearsed since he doesn't know who he's talking to, Regina thinks, but thank god for that, she doesn't need him to start to be kind when he finds out who she is. She really prefers this professional side, with any type of a relationship attached, it's better, safer, "Hello?"

She realizes she hasn't greeted him back yet, just to make the situation even more uncomfortable than already is, and she curses herself for that, lets her forehead fall on her hand and lets out an inaudible sigh before she focuses one more time on the task at hand, "Yes, I'm sorry, I'm calling from the law firm."

She waits for a response, one she realizes she won't get and that just causes an awkward silence to settle between them one more time, until she speaks again in an attempt to fix the situation, "My name's Regina Mills and I will be your lawyer for the custody case."

Now she would expect a silence. But contrary to what she thought, Robin is quick to react, breathes a ' _Regina?_ ' and waits for any signal of surprise for her part. It's not like it is a total surprise, it had been when she received the case, yes, but now she was already expecting to be him... just how many British men called Robin Locksley could exist in that town?

Luckily for her, it was just him.

But Regina is a professional, and she quickly recovers from the initial shock, remembers to breathe one more time, and addresses him again, "Yes, well, I was hoping we could meet to talk about the case?"

He's still in shock, she realizes, is still figuring out if she can be the Regina he knows, his best friend from ten years ago, so he doesn't answer right away, takes his time to measure the situation and choose the right words to tell her.

He wants to talk to her, needs to clear up some things before he lets her enter in his life once again, even if it's just professionally, but he knows they can't talk by the phone, this is something they will have to discuss personally, so he forces himself to focus on what she's proposing and clears his throat before reply to her, "Of course, when do you want to meet?"

"After lunch? I know a coffee that usually it's not too crowded, I can text you the address," she offers, hoping he'll accept her suggestion. She can only think in this option, there's no way and no need that she'll lunch with him, so a coffee should do and maybe if she's lucky, she'll be ready on time to pick up the boys from school. She just has to meet his case, since she already knows the client (too well if you ask her) and then she'll be done, with a few more days to prepare herself for these next months.

"Alright, I will meet you there," he replies, and there's that warmth in his voice, the one she was hoping to never hear again, but it's already having an effect on her, even if she can't quite tell what it is.

Is it pity? Sorry for him to be in this situation? Or she feels really bad that their relationship... friendship, whatever it was, didn't work out as she hoped it would?

She never thought she'll be facing all these thoughts once again. She expected that after leaving the college ten years ago, she would be free from this part of her life, the one he clearly plays a key role, but no, she had to run into this guy once again, and it had to be a case that will take months to solve.

"Alright," she parrots, muttering a ' _see you there_ ' and hanging up the phone as quickly as she could.

5 minutes. This phone call only took 5 minutes of her time and she's already regretting them.

How is she supposed to handle a whole coffee, sitting in front of him and have a professional conversation if she can't endure a phone call? There's no way this will end without the slightest effect on her life and she just hopes this doesn't mean it will affect Henry as well, as she types the address to send to his father.

###

Robin eats his lunch quicker that day, and it's just two in the afternoon when he crosses the door to the coffee shop she'd sent the address earlier.

He knows she's probably just finishing her lunch, and maybe she'll not be ready to meet him before 3PM, but he was ready and, to be honest, he hadn't been able to really focus on work since her phone call, so he just thought that he would start looking for the place so there wasn't a chance for him to get lost and be late.

It would be an awful start if he'd keep her waiting, not to mention that she would probably think this whole issue of the custody didn't matter for him.

It matters. Very much.

Roland is his whole life since he divorced from Marian, is the only person to convince him that it's worthy to fight for the people you love, something he didn't put much effort to it when it comes to Regina ten years ago, and he knows she doesn't believe so, but he'd cared deeply for her back then, had fallen in love with her since day one, but had been foolish enough to let that escape. And now she was just about to meet with him, in professional matters, but still, he'd have to find a way to make it up to her.

It happened that he'd found the coffee quickly than he'd expected, a nice little place, with a few students doing some work at the tables in one of the corners of the room, and since Robin knows they will have to talk (a lot) through this meeting, he chooses a table near the window, it's quiet and peaceful just the same, and this way they won't be a bother to the teens currently trying to study.

So now he's here, trying to picture in his mind how this conversation may go, without any clue how she feels about him after all these years.

If he's lucky, maybe she'd already forgiven him, it had been a stupid teenage behavior, or better, it had been a behavior fit for a stupid teenager, but he changed and he's ready to apologize if that means he can have her friendship back in his life.

She was a good friend, best friend, and they had had fun together until he had let the alcohol dictate his actions and make him choose to sleep with her.

He liked her, back then, more than a friend (now Robin can understand that) and that should have been more than a reason to make him step back and choose their friendship over a one night stand, especially when he didn't know how to deal with it after it had happened. But no, that had been a reason to make him do exactly the opposite and jump into her bed, only to hurt her the very next day when she came looking for him.

But that was something he'd have to talk to her, hopefully today if she has time for him. He'd made sure to take the afternoon just for this talk.

Before he could even get settled on their table or order something to kill his time, his phone buzzes in his pocket, immediately making him wonder if it's Regina canceling their meeting (she's more than in time for that), or if he'd messed with the address and she's already waiting for him somewhere else, but then he looks at the screen, the name 'Marian' flashing together with the sign to take the call, and he considers to just mute it and shove the phone back into his pocket, but she's Roland's mother and she really doesn't choose to call him if it isn't for the boy.

"Yes?" he answers with a sigh, moving his phone from one hand to the other so he can remove his jacket and place it on the back of the chair before gets settled himself.

He reaches for the menu, has really no intention to eat anything since he just finished his lunch, but at least he's entertained, scans the options at the same time he tries to hear Marian's excuse to have him picking Roland from school on one of her days, just to leave him at her house where she will be waiting for him.

This time, her car broke down, and he wonders if it is like last week when she couldn't leave the house due to a flu, and when he arrived with Roland, she certainly looked better than him, who had been up since 5AM to make sure he'd time to do everything at work before pick up his son.

It's not like he minds, he loves to pick up Roland and spend time with him, but there are those days when he's not really expecting it, and today is one of those, not to mention how he'll have to hurry the meeting with Regina so he has time to get to school.

"Marian, I'm sorry, but I have to work-" he tries to explain, but is quickly interrupted by her voice once again, telling him she'd called to his office and had been informed that he wasn't there, that he'd taken the afternoon off to tend to some issues, and he hates to have to give her explanations of his life, but he fears she can use these things against him to get the full custody.

"Not that concerns you, but I have a meeting outside the office," he says, trying to avoid telling her that it's actually about Roland's custody. He doesn't need to have her even more decided to mess with this, especially when they haven't agreed with this plan in the first place. If he was really busy at work she would have to come up with something to pick up the boy, right? Roland won't die for having to take the bus with his mother for one day, he'd actually found it funny when Robin had taken him to try one of these days, "The day is nice, take him for a walk, Marian, he won't mind."

But then she's using the same excuse as always, arguing that Robin is always complaining that she doesn't let him see their son, and it has nothing to do with this situation. What she wants, is to have Robin being her private chauffeur, to have him driving their son home right after he picks him up from school, without any chance to really spend time with him.

"You know it's not-" and just when he needed more time to convince Marian that he won't be able to attend to her requests, she appears. A very familiar face, talking to the girl on the other side of the counter before she's looking everywhere around her, probably searching for him. Him. Will he really have a coffee with the woman he always thought wouldn't want to see him again?

She's so different, in some aspects so similar, but she's definitely not the nineteen-year-old girl anymore. Her dark hair that once used to run through her back is now cut to just above her shoulders, and the casual sweaters had been replaced by some more formal shirts, but there's one thing that remains untouchable in her outfit, and Robin fails to suppress a smile when he spots her wearing a pencil skirt.

It had always been a part of her outfit, she used to match it with sneakers instead of the high heels she's using today, but he can't say it's a bad choice, it makes her legs even more perfect than he remembers.

But he has to stop, can't think of her that way as soon as he lays his eyes on her. She's not a piece of meat, contrary to the way he'd treated her that night, to which he regrets truthfully, should have politely rejected when she invited him to her room ten years ago, should have just dropped her off after their night out with their friends.

Marian's voice is insistent on the other end of the line, telling him something about how he's showing concern about his own son for putting a meeting above him, and he can't do this right now, doesn't have time for her ironies, so, despite he knows he shouldn't accommodate Marian's every whim, he has no other choice if he wants to be done before he has to pick up Roland.

"Fine, I'll pick him up, but he gets to dine with me," he counters, almost sighing in relief when he hears his ex-wife agreeing with his choice.

One less problem. He'll deal with Marian later when he has to drop his son at her house. For now, he'll just have to get through this meeting and convince Regina that he's not leaving her hanging one more time when he has to leave within an hour.

###

Regina drives her car to the coffee shop, hoping this would be 'quick and clean' and that she'll be ready to pick Henry and Dylan from school on time.

She'd promised Henry that she would be spending the afternoon with them, after he'd promised her he would behave at school, that he would talk to his teacher if something bothered him about the work they would do about the father's day, so she can't really get late, doesn't want to disappoint her son if he makes the effort to then have her failing on her promise.

How ironic would it be? She'd be late to pick her son because she'd be in a meeting with his biological father. Henry would hit the roof if he found out about this situation.

She really hates to hide things from him, even more having to lie to him, but what choice does she have? She can't risk to lose him if Robin finds out and chooses to fight against her for Henry's custody as well.

She doesn't know Robin like she _thought_ she knew, he's not her best friend anymore, so she has to play it safe.

So she finishes her lunch as quickly as she can (her nerves were killing her so she wasn't really feeling like eating a lot), hoping she'll be lucky enough to find Robin already waiting for her, and gets into her car to drive towards the address she'd sent to him.

It's not a long ride, jut long enough to have her rehearsing a successful conversation in her head, but she knows that it'll be far from that, given the things left unsaid between them. She just hopes they can keep it civilized and professional, that's all she needs to get her work done and be out of this quickly.

The sooner they get out of this situation, better will be for everyone.

Better will be for Robin and his son, who will be able to get back to their lives with a bit more stability, better will be for Henry, who, despite the fact he doesn't know what's happening, will stop having his mother lying to him, and definitely will be better for Regina, who will be able to continue to live her life without the constant meetings with Robin and the fear of losing one of her sons.

So she needs to get out of this successfully, which just leaves her even more nervous as she steps out of the car and walks towards the door of the coffee shop.

She sees him even before she enters, sitting at a table near the window as he talks on the phone, and he seems frustrated, mad about something or... someone.

It just comes to her mind the images of their last fight, the one it was responsible for the beginning of the end of their friendship, and when she'd accidentally told him how she really felt about him as she accused him of playing with her feelings.

He'd been speechless at her confession, had tried to reach for her and apologize countless times, but she'd keep him from getting close to her every time, so he never got the chance to tell her how he really felt about her as well.

He wasn't sure if it would make any difference, not after what she'd witnessed when she found him that morning, but he should've tried, never should've given up on her so easily.

So now when she sees him like this, she chooses to walk towards the counter instead, to order something for her and give him time so he won't make the same mistake with his own son, since she knows he doesn't do well with a hot head.

She orders a red eye, knowing she'll need something strong to get through this conversation, and looks around to see if he'd already finished his call when the waitress tells her she can have a seat that when it's ready she'll bring it to the table.

He's still on the phone, has his eyes focused on her instead of being focused on his own conversation, but she shakes her head, tells she can wait for the coffee and then will get a seat, because there's no need to make this even more awkward, she won't interrupt his talk nor doesn't want to hear anything concerned with his private life that it won't be useful for the case. She just wants to know what she really _needs_ to know, doesn't want to dig too much and especially, doesn't want to form an emotional bond with him.

She waits for a few more minutes until her drink is placed in front of her, and she still has that sensation that she's not ready, she could use a bit more time to get used to the idea that she'll talk to Robin again, but she can't delay it any longer. He has finished his call and now is just waiting for her, glancing a couple of times in her direction in an attempt to be a gentleman and don't push her into going to immediately talk to him, and now it's her who has to take the first step, grab that coffee and make her way towards his table.

So she does just that, takes a deep breath and holds the plate underneath the tiny cup with her drink in both of her hands (she doesn't want to risk and spill the coffee everywhere over her outfit), and places it on the table in front of him, avoiding his gaze as he stands from his seat and mutters her name almost in surprise.

"I am," she replies, straightening her back and stretching her hand towards him, "I'll take care of your case."

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 **I hope you liked and please tell me what did you think :)**

 **Thank you for the reviews for the last chapter and don't worry, I'll write what happened between them in the next chapter.**


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter 3.

 _Her room is down the hallway of the building's third floor, the one that accommodates all the girl's dorms and that is strategically separated from the floor where the boy's rooms can be found._

 _As all the colleges they know, this one also has the policy of keeping girls away from the boys, making sure this is fully respected during the night by a too strict vigilant that happens to work till 4 AM each evening._

 _During that time, you not hear a single sound coming from the bedrooms, the only sound echoing through the corridor it's the almost inaudible one from a pen hitting the paper as the woman writes down what it seems to be another report from another boring night on the girls' wing, but this night is different, and fortunately for them, it's 4:30 in the morning, so Regina doesn't bother to push Robin away from her when he claims her lips in a passionate kiss, at the same time his body keeps her against her bedroom's door._

 _She never felt so grateful to have her bedroom in that quiet corner. It's the farthest away from the bathrooms, the farthest away from the other rooms, but right now it's so worthy, when she has Robin right here with her, dropping kisses down the column of her neck._

 _They shouldn't, she knows that, he knows that, and it's not just because of the college's policy. It's because they are best friends and nothing more, because she's not sure how she feels about him and because she's certain he doesn't like her that way. They are just drunk, by a stupid drinking game that led them to drink too many shots, and now is making them devour each other on the hallway of her room, in full view of someone who happens to walk by that floor._

 _But for some reason, she doesn't care. She doesn't believe they will be caught, not at such an hour at least. The worst thing that can happen to them is having Emma returning to the room earlier than Regina is expecting, and offer her a monolog about how she likes Robin, how she should tell him, and probably scold the brunette by taking him to their room. Yes, because they share the room, and since Regina didn't let her friend know about this plan, they can't move from the door, not if they want to be able to control themselves._

 _But control is the last word crossing Robin's mind. They are far from that when he hooks one of his hands behind Regina's knee, lifting it to his waist and allowing him to press himself right against her center, earning a muffled moan from her and a bite on his lower lip at the action._

 _He wasn't exactly expecting this when he'd offered to walk her to her dorm, he'd just leave her at her bedroom's door, maybe kiss her goodnight before he leaves, but not this, not this desperate make-out session in a dark hallway._

 _They just pull apart when he hears the quiet sound of her phone buzzing inside her purse, causing Regina to let out a groan of frustration as she lets go of Robin and reaches for the bag to take out the device, reading the text popping up on the screen and taking Robin by surprise when she laughs loudly._

 _"Shh, Regina," he scolds, carefully placing her leg back on the floor and smiling himself too as he looks around them to make sure nobody had come searching for the source of the sound._

 _If they are caught, not only they would be punished for life, but they would be caught in an embarrassing situation since everyone in that college seems to think they would be a perfect couple. Maybe they were, but Robin doesn't want to prove them right and he's sure Regina doesn't want it either, she hates to have people minding in her business so she certainly doesn't want to get bored with lame jokes._

 _Without her noticing, he steals the keys from the same purse and opens the door behind her, pushing her into the bedroom so they couldn't be caught because of her._

 _"That were my keys," she giggles, causing Robin to do the same, since he knows that is the alcohol that it's causing all of this, all this nonsense, but now he's curious and wants to know what could be written in that text that left her with that beautiful smile at almost 5 in the morning._

 _"Tell me?" he gives her a puppy-dog face, knowing she'll tell him without him having to beg too much, they are best friends and they tell each other everything, it's almost a rule in their relationship and he hopes they'll be able to keep it like that, especially when she seems so satisfied with the news._

 _"Emma won't spend the night," she smiles, but his disappears immediately from his face, the news making him wonder if something bad may have happened to their friend and, how can Regina be smiling at that when she'd seen Emma's state when they left the bar?_

 _"I told her she couldn't drink anything else-"_

 _"Robin, she's with Neal," Regina explains and oh, that's better... he thinks. It's definitely better than being in alcohol poisoning, but it's not good either. He knows how those two like each other, really like, but Neal has a girlfriend, one that he's not capable of breaking up with for some reason Robin fails to know, and now he's sure his friend and Emma would do a big mistake that night, which would just bring problems to them, "What about you? You share the room with Neal, do you want to stay here?"_

 _She has a point, and though he's not sure that he'll find Neal and Emma caught up with each other as soon as he opens the door to his bedroom, he doesn't want to risk it either. Besides, her offer is too tempting to resist, especially when she runs her now-free hands over his t-shirt and pulls him into another kiss, this one softer, less desperate than the ones they shared before, only with the intention of convincing him of her plan, "Stay."_

 _Apparently, this would be the night of bad decisions._

 _Without thinking twice, Robin cups her face in his hands and answers her with a quick peck,_

 _releasing her from his embrace so she could let the bag fall to the floor beside them before she moves to lock the door behind him._

 _For some reason, that sound makes him swallow hard, makes his mind drift to the things he wants to do to her right now, and before she could even react, his hands are on her waist, pulling her back against his chest and planting open-mouthed kisses in the back of her neck._

 _He asks himself why they didn't do this earlier. She's beautiful, a wonderful person, and he was waiting to do this since they first met, so this couldn't seem more right at this moment. He wants to please her, letting her know how much he likes her, had been falling for her this whole time, so when she presses herself closer to him and tilts her head to the side to give him more room, he doesn't waste time, sucks and nibs her skin before turning her around and capture her lips one more time._

 _He never felt with someone what he's feeling with Regina, this need to be close to her, in a more physical way, is making him selfish, and he's not even considering her feelings. Not that she seems reluctant about this whole thing, but she's drunk and he should make sure she wants this, "Regina-"_

 _Before he even has time to ask her the question in his mind, she takes advantage of the moment he breaks the kiss, and brings her hands to the hem of his t-shirt, removing it from his body and revealing his toned chest to her wandering fingers. She can't help but run her palms down his torso, her eyes always following as she moves her hands from his shoulders to his belly, stopping at the waistline of his jeans and giving him a questioning look._

 _She's in quite a hurry, he thinks with a smile, but he won't let her rush this. He waited too much for this moment to get through it too quickly. He likes her, and though this might mean nothing to Regina, it means to him, so he grabs her hands in his to keep her from undoing his belt, and reaches behind her to find the zip of her pencil skirt, never breaking the eye contact with her as he pulls it down until the fabric falls at her feet._

 _When she'd time to remove her sneakers, Robin has no idea, but she's quite a sight. Barefoot and wearing her black lace underwear, and he wonders if she has the bra matching the panties... There's only one way to find out, so before one of them could regret it, he removes her sweater, confirming his suspicions when he's met with a black lace bra as well._

 _"Stunning," he whispers affectionately, running his hands up her sides until he reaches her cover breasts and cups it in his palms, making her moan in return, "Can I-"_

 _"Take it off," she doesn't even let him finish, capturing his lips in another kiss when he encircles her body to unclasp the hook at her back, letting the fabric fall from her arms before she wraps it around his neck to press herself closer to him._

 _She's letting herself feel things deeply, and it's dangerous due to their relationship, due to the nature of this night when she should just being enjoying herself, but not enjoying him, but that's completely impossible when she's unable to forget that it's Robin who is making her throb with his ministrations, continuing to grasp her breast as his other hand now moves down towards her rear._

 _He kneads and pulls her closer, and she moans in response, breaking the kiss in the progress and tilting her head back when his mouth moves to her neck to kiss the skin there._

 _She will have sex with Robin, she realizes._

 _When she first met him, a few months ago, she'd immediately felt a connection with him, an attraction that, apparently, is obvious to everyone else but them, even if she can't think about a single thing he'd done to prove everybody he likes her more than a friend. At least until now, but even at this moment, she can't say she knows if his feels for her go beyond the friendship. They are simply too caught up in each other to interrupt what they are doing, and she's about to let him do one of the things she'd been saving for someone special._

 _She should tell him she never did this before, but that would completely kill the mood and what if he freaked out and didn't want to do this anymore?_

 _She wants him to do this. She just knows he's that someone special and she'll talk to him after it, it's not like she's lying to him, she'll just let things happen and talk about them later._

 _She can't overthink it too much. If she feels ready, she should do it, at least is what she tells herself. And she's feeling good with Robin, feels beautiful, he's making her enjoy herself, muttering compliments in her ear as he walks her towards her bed, and that's a good sign, right?_

 _She lets herself fall back into the mattress when her knees hit the edge of the bed, bringing her hands back to the waistline of his jeans when he straddles her thighs, just to have him stopping her one more time, grabbing her wrists and place them on the bed above her head._

 _"Relax," he smirks, kissing her again, and well, he probably knows this better than her, so she'll just follow his lead, hoping she won't make a fool of herself at the same time she learns a few tricks._

 _It's not wrong to want to be good and Robin really seems pretty great. It's true she has nothing to compare him with, but the way he drops kisses from her neck down her torso is making her more and more wet, and it's especially good when she rocks her hips against him, exhaling heavily every time the friction sends a wave of pleasure through her body._

 _So this is it. This is the feeling of having another body against hers, even if they're not naked yet, even if she can't really feel him, it's already good, and she can't imagine how it will feel like when she has him thrusting inside her. She knows about the pain, knows it can be uncomfortable the first time someone will do this to her, and she has the disadvantage of being hiding that from Robin, because he won't know he has to be careful, he won't know he will have to give her time to adjust to him, she just can hope he'll be attentive enough to slow down if he hears her complaining._

 _"Robin, please," she whines, enough for him to understand the message, has him releasing her wrists and hooking his fingers on her underwear to pull it down her legs, slowly and provocatively, while he follows the path of his hands with open-mouthed kisses, and then up her leg again until he reaches her inner thigh._

 _By that time she's already trembling in anticipation, practically begging him to hurry up, because now she knows she wants this, she really, really wants him, and she wants to know what he feels like, what will feel like when the pain is gone and there's only pleasure, and the sooner that happen, the sooner she'll be enjoying the night._

 _So she sighs almost in relief when he slips two fingers inside her, at the same time his tongue teases her clit, earning him a 'yess' in return that makes him groan against her as well. The vibration has her rocking against his mouth, making him use his free hand to press her hips against the mattress and still her movements before he removes his mouth from her with a whine of protest from her part._

 _"I could do this the whole night," he mutters, and she has to fight the urge to tell him to do so, to keep sucking and lapping and making her moan his name over and over again if that makes him happy._

 _It certainly makes her feel nice, if the rock of her hips against him again is any indication, and she just hopes she can be good enough to make him feel the same. She's not that selfish to the point she's not even a bit worried about her inexperience, but she can't do anything about that, the only thing she can do is to let herself get carried away, and hopefully he'll like to be the one in control._

 _"Robin..." she calls, hoping he won't confuse that with a cry of his name, and luckily for her, he seems to understand, hums as a sign of question without removing his mouth from her and makes her shiver one more time in the process, "Did you... did you done this before?"_

 _She hopes she hasn't been too obvious. Hopefully, his drunken state will keep him from read between the lines and she will get her answer without having to explain herself. The only reason that makes her regret to ask that, is because he stops everything he was doing, removing his fingers from her and crawling up her body, placing one hand on each side of her head to look her in the eyes, "I can say I've never enjoyed doing this to someone as much as I'm enjoying doing to you."_

 _That means he has, she thinks, but she barely has time to think about it because he's kissing her passionately, tongues battling against each other and allowing her to taste herself in his mouth, and she never thought that that could be such a turn on._

 _"Is that a problem?" he pulls apart, showing genuine concern about her, and that's more than enough to have her shaking her head, muttering 'no' at the same time she bites her lower lip before Robin captures her lips one more time in a quick peck, "So I think I can..."_

 _"Yes," she giggles, her laugh turning into a moan when he brings his mouth to her clit one more time, together with his fingers that easily find their way back into her, thrusting slowly at first and making sure she's still wet enough for him._

 _Of course, she is, that little interruption did nothing to ease the ache between her legs and the only thing she needs right now is him to speed up the pace._

 _"Faster," she breathes, causing him to thrust his fingers quicker into her and matching the pace of his hand with the one of his tongue, and by the way she's so turned on by this whole thing, she can't even regret that this is far from what she imagined how would be her first time. She certainly never thought that it would be with Robin of all people, even if she now can tell she always felt something for him. She can always stop him before they get to the 'real job', but, truthfully, she doesn't want that, she wants him to continue, to keep pleasure her all night long as he'd said he was more than willing to do._

 _He sucks harder on her clit, her thoughts getting lost in her mind when he changes the angle of his thrusts, and her walls clench around his fingers at the same time she encourages him by burying her hands in his hair, clutching and releasing and telling him to don't stop, that's it's right there, and it doesn't take long until she's coming in his mouth, his hand keeping it's pace as she rides out her orgasm until she finally asks him to stop because it's too much, she never felt anything so intense, even if she had taken care of those needs on her own before._

 _It's definitely better to have someone to take care of that for her and she can't really imagine how she'll handle when it comes time to have Robin inside her, she thinks she just won't._

 _She's still recovering from her orgasm when she feels Robin kissing up her torso, sweet and kind pecks that trace a path towards her breast before he's capturing a nipple in his mouth, swirling his tongue around it and releasing it with a wet pop to give the other the same attention._

 _If that was supposed to help her to get her breath back again, it's not really working, it's just helping her to get all worked up one more time._

 _Not that she's complaining. She wants to enjoy everything from this night, is willing to accept everything Robin has planned for them by now, so when he grabs her hand and leads it to the waist of his jeans (as she had tried to do already two times that night before be always interrupted by him) she hums in approvement, releases the belt from it's confinement and works the zip and the button the faster she can to pull both fabrics down and free his already rock hard member._

 _For a moment she just wished she could do something for him, more than just let him take the control of the situation, but she doesn't want to ruin everything nor having Robin walking away from her, so she chooses to play it safe, wraps her hand around his erection and moves it up and down in a slow motion as she positions him at her entrance._

 _"I can't wait to be inside you," he confesses, and she smiles widely, brings her hands to cup the back of his neck and pulls him down for another kiss while he slowly guides himself into her._

 _It doesn't hurt at first, it's just an uncomfortable sensation as he continues to push inside her, breaking the kiss when he groans at the feeling of her around him, so tight, so wet. But with every move, she has to adjust to him, has to let him stretch her, which is even more difficult when she tightens around him, almost in a silent signal for him to stop, but she doesn't ask him that, lets him continue his movements and busies herself clutching his light brown hair, until she can't hold any longer and lets out a cry of pain._

 _"Wait," she breathes, causing him to stop immediately and lock his eyes with her, asking if she's okay. Damn it, she's making quite the impression... He must think she can't handle this, worse, she doesn't even know how he didn't discover her secret yet, maybe it's the alcohol that it's saving her from that, "I'm fine, I just... Can you give me a moment?"_

 _She's glad he doesn't ask the reason, it's glad when he captures her lips one more time and remains still inside her as he gives her the time she asked, busying themselves with lazy kisses and kind caresses until she tells him to keep going, comforting herself as she believes it can't be much longer until he fills her completely and then she will be feeling just pleasure, just the nice part of make love for the first time._

 _And it's really not long before he's already sliding out of her to then thrust in once again, slow at first, and it's still painful, uncomfortable, but she'll not stop him once more, she just wants him to continue so she can get used to it as quickly as possible and then enjoy every part of this. The way he moves against her, or how his hand moves up and down her side, how his kisses behind her ear are helping her ignoring the pain, and eventually, everything gets simpler, makes her want to start moving with him, so she does just that, always let herself be guided by his hand on her back._

 _"Is this okay?" he asks when he hooks his hand behind her thigh to pull her leg against his hip, allowing him to thrust in deeper, as she nods frantically, breathes an 'it's good' and moans when the discomfort she'd been feeling is way in the past by now. Now she just feels great, wonderful, sexy, and she just knew this would be a good idea. She couldn't ask for a better person than Robin, he doesn't even know this is her first time and it's being really caring with her, always checking if she's okay and giving her all the types of caresses everywhere of her body. And she rewards him by moaning his name, she can tell he likes to hear it, and kissing his neck when she can reach it._

 _"Faster, Robin," she whispers in his ear, earning a groan coming from him as he thrusts harder into her, eliciting louder moans from her when their rhythm change for a quicker one. He moves in and out, buries his face in the crook of her neck and kisses her skin there, sliding his hand down her body and between them to touch her clit and having her crying out instantly._

 _If she wasn't so caught up in this whole thing she would make an effort to be silent and don't scare the students in the rooms next to hers for life, but she is, and she's sure she's not the only one that had forgotten the rules and had brought a boy to her room to have sex with, so she doesn't really care, lets herself relax and runs a hand down his body to grip his ass and guide him through his next thrust._

 _"God, Regina," he groans, thrusting deeper into her, while he murmurs compliments in her ear to try to bring her closer to her peak, and it seems to be working because she's sighing and moaning, and is tripping over every word she tries to reply him with, "Remember me to thank Emma tomorrow."_

 _And that makes her laugh, a chuckle that quickly turns into a cry when he hits that right spot inside her and feels her starting to clench around him._

 _"Right there?" he asks, keeping his movements as she nods frantically and digs her nails into the skin of his back, at the same time she moves her hips to meet his thrusts, almost begging for release._

 _She's almost there, it's almost a mystery to herself how she's handling that for so long (at least it seems long for her), and she knows she can't wait for him anymore, even if she wanted, she's not able to, so she comes with a cry of his name, her whole body shaking as he helps her ride out her orgasm, and if she thinks that what she felt earlier just with his tongue and fingers had been intense, she really doesn't know what to think about this one._

 _This one is a whole new level of pleasure, keeps her from holding her eyes open and look at him, but that doesn't matter when he has his face buried in the crook of her neck, offering her sweet kisses on her skin, while he thrusts a few more times into her until he's coming too._

 _She just realizes he slides out of her when she sees him laying beside her, completely spent and all sweaty as he pulls her into his arms and kisses her cheek affectionately. This is one of the reasons she likes him so much, he's always this kind with her, always making her feel good and happy when she is with him, and at this moment she's genuinely happy, truly grateful for letting him do this to her for the first time, even if they are not a couple, they're not crazy in love (at least until they confess that to each other), this had felt right and she didn't want it any other way._

 _"Are you okay?" he asks sleepily, noticing her deep in thoughts._

 _"I'm fine," she smiles, truly, thinking about the best moment to tell him the truth about everything. That her feelings for him have been growing more and more every time they are together, that this night had not been just a one night stand for her, that she's willing to try a relationship with him as long as he wants it too, and she just hopes he won't get upset with her for choosing to talk about all of this after what they had done, when probably what they should have done was talk about it before, "I have to confess something."_

 _She hears him humming, and she snuggles closer to him, lets him drop his leg over hers so her side can be totally pressed to his chest, and she smiles widely, stares at the ceiling as she gathers the courage to decide what to tell him first, her feelings or the fact that he had been her first one._

 _Maybe the last one, she doesn't want him freaking out and running from her as soon as she tells him she doesn't see him just as a friend anymore, and let alone having him blaming her for using him to fulfill her needs. So she will tell him about this night, and then will say she chose him because she really cares for him, really likes him more than he thinks. Hopefully, it will be reciprocated and she'll be able to be like this with him a lot more, kissing him whenever she wants and be held by him in a completely different way as he holds her now._

 _She hopes this isn't just something caused by the drink, it definitely helped, but she wishes this had meant something to him too, as it had meant to her._

 _"This was my first time," she says, absently running her fingers up and down his arm in a lazy rhythm, and she can say she didn't know what to expect from him when she confessed this, but the silence with what she's welcome was not one of the things._

 _It's scary, intimidating, and makes her want to leave that bed and cover herself, ashamed that she could even think this would be a good idea. She wouldn't like anyone to do that to her too, she should've talked to Robin first._

 _And should've looked to him first too, because when she gathers the courage to face him after her confession, she notices he's already deep asleep, his chest rising and falling against her side with his heavy breathing, making her almost sigh in relief and smile at his sleeping form._

 _"I promise I will tell you everything tomorrow," she pecks his lips, pulling the covers to cover their naked bodies and turning in his arms so she could be facing him. She really has to talk to him tomorrow, tell him the whole truth and change their relationship forever. For better or for worse, that she'll have to wait and see, but she just hopes it'll be the former one._

 _-/-_

"I'll take care of your case," he hears as he sees her stretching her hand towards him, probably for him to shake, he thinks. He really deserves that she's treating him in such a cold way, so distantly, as if they'd never met each other before this moment when her job and his need for a lawyer had brought them together one more time.

Not that this fight between him and Marian is a good thing, because it isn't, not for him, not for Roland, not for anyone involved, but apparently, it had led him to something good, a new opportunity to fix things between him and his former best friend, with whom he'd messed everything up when he didn't know how to handle his affection for her ten years ago.

He knows that now he won't fix things in a romantic prospect anymore, she probably is not the same person (as he isn't, everyone changes after all) and has her own life now, maybe her own family with a husband, kids, which leads Robin to find himself just holding and staring at the hand she'd stretched towards him, searching for an evidence of a marriage that, at first sight, doesn't exist.

That's almost impossible, how a woman like her can be alone?

He remembers that, at college, she was more of a lone wolf, always searching for companionship in him or their friends, and never in a boyfriend. She had actually argued with Emma when the blonde had pushed her into a blind date with the guy by whom all the girls had a crush and who used to leave the guys completely jealous of him since he didn't need to make an effort to win any girl he wanted, but apparently, he and Regina were an exception. Robin didn't like Graham one bit, let alone envy him for his conquests, and Regina had escaped from her date as soon as she could to run to Robin and apologize, telling him he was right when he said he knew Graham wasn't her type and she'd just waste her time in that date. Stubborn as she's, she'd argued that it should be her to make that type of judgment and decisions, and had gone to that lunch against her will (she never admitted, but Robin knew it at that time), and when she returned complaining, Robin never bugged her about it, had just offered to spend the afternoon with her and listen to everything she'd to say about that guy.

So maybe that's why he can't spot a single ring on her fingers that tell him she's committed to someone. Maybe she'd chosen to live her life on her own, and Robin doesn't know why, but he can't help but feel the same sensation he felt those years ago when she'd rushed to him after that lunch, a sense of relief that it shouldn't even cross his mind because she's not his, she wasn't back then and she isn't now, so he has no right to feel these things when he clearly lost his opportunity with her ten years ago.

"I'm sorry, I saw you were on the phone so I went to the counter to order something for me," she clears her throat, pushing him away from his thoughts as he realizes he hadn't said anything and is still holding her hand. So awkward, he thinks to himself, releasing her from his grasp and immediately missing the warmth of her touch, the softness of her skin against his own, "Do you want something?"

"I'm fine, thank you," he offers her a smile, gesturing for her to sit across from him as he returns to his seat too, scolding himself for letting this affect him more than it really should. She's here to be his lawyer, to learn everything about his case and his son, not for being courted by him, so there's no reason for being as nervous as he would be if this was a date. Because it isn't. This is a professional meeting, "I was actually talking to my son's mother, she wants me to pick him up from school within two hours. I'm sorry."

Great, already apologizing to have to leave her again. Nice start, Robin.

-/-

 _He wakes with Regina's head placed on his chest, her deep and heavy breath tells him she's still very much asleep, so he takes the time to replay in his head their last night, when she was warm and wet, and soft around him, crying his name when he made her come two times that night, one of them with him buried deep inside her and feeling her clench around him, as if everything was new for her, as if it was..._

 _It was her first time._

 _He remembers very vaguely her talking about that, and how she'd told him to wait when he was pushing inside her._

 _Stupid, Locksley, you cocked everything up._

 _You ruined her chance to have her special first time, why didn't she say anything?_

 _But she said. He now remembers her asking if he'd done that_ _before_ , _when he was more concerned about pleasuring her than listening to her clues, but she should have stopped him. She should have told him she'd never done that before and he'd respect that, no matter how drunk he might have been, he'd stop and respect her._

 _Now he just feels awful. Feels a horrible person because he should've known. He knows her better than anyone else and he knows that deep down he knew her to the point he was sure she was saving herself for someone special, not him, someone who could make her happy and deserved her first time._

 _He's her best friend, or was, he doesn't even know their situation right now, but no matter what, it was not his place to take her virginity. He should protect her from persons like that not be one of them and take advantage of her, he just ruined everything and now he has to fix it, has to push her away from him (at least romantically) for her own happiness, and his own good._

 _As hard as it is to know that he won't kiss her again, he won't have her in his arms like this anymore, he has to tell her to forget about him, because this will be painful for both of them, he's not capable of holding a relationship of this type with his best friend, let alone, pretend this never happened when clearly it will always have a special significance for her. He's already feeling more than he should for Regina._

 _She's so special, and it really hurts him having to keep a more distant relationship with her._

 _But he needs to, so he kisses the top of her head a last time before he gently pushes himself out of the bed, covering her naked body with the blanket that was keeping them warm, and puts his clothes back on his body without removing his eyes from her._

 _The worst thing that could happen right now was her waking up. It would make everything harder, they would have to talk and he's not sure he'd be able to leave if she asked him otherwise, or worse, she could become aware of everything all of a sudden and fight with him. And he wouldn't blame her. Though she should have told him what was happening._

 _So no, he's already dressed, will just put on his shoes and will be out of the room in no time._

 _And he does just that. Grabs his things and walks out of the door and down the hallway without a last glance at her, so there's no chance for him to regret and go lie down next to her one more time._

 _He needs to change clothes, he thinks, this outfit has Regina's perfume all over it and although he loves it and wouldn't mind spending the day wrapped up in her scent, this isn't a result of a normal circumstance between friends, so will just remind him of what can't happen between them again._

 _He's just praying he won't find Neal and Emma sleeping as soon as he opens the door to his dorm._

 _"Robin?"_

 _If he ever gets there._

 _"Lacey," he greets, turning around and offering his ex-girlfriend a fake smile, the best he can manage under the circumstances._

 _He'd met Lacey because of his friend, Belle, they are twin sisters and Robin can say they're not alike, they're completely different from each other in every way. While Belle spends the nights reading at the library, Lacey entertains herself at the clubs and bars, always making new friends and conquests, the exact reason who led them to a rough breakup, when he almost lost Belle's friendship in the process. Luckily for them, both had learned how manipulative Lacey could be before she could damage their friendship._

 _"What are you doing here? Escaping from a terrible night?" she teases, slowly approaching him and reminding Robin of another reason for their breakup, this side of her that Robin dislikes deeply. And he really intends to let her know that, his smile fades from his face as quickly as it appeared, at the same time his hands grab her wrists when she brings her hands to his t-shirt to pull him closer, leaving her inches away from him, "C'mon, Robin, I'm only joking. But I know deep down you've missed me."_

 _He wasn't expecting the kiss that followed those words, is completely taken by surprise when she captures his lips between hers and traps him against the wall of the hallway, keeping Robin from even realizing what is happening before she's pulling back from him again, forced by another female voice at the end of the hall, the same direction he'd come from just minutes ago._

 _"Regina," he breathes, confirming his suspicions when he sees her turning her back to him and running towards her room once again, ignoring all his attempts to call her attention before he decides and pushes Lacey away from him to run after his best friend._

 _He needs to talk to her, explain that everything was nothing more than a misunderstanding, he would never sleep with her and leave her without the intention of straight things with her, let alone kiss his ex-girlfriend of all people._

 _So he runs towards her room as quickly as possible, leaves Lacey completely stunned standing in the hallway, and catches the door to her dorm still open, closing the wooden surface behind him when he slips into the room, "Regina, please, let me expl-"_

 _"Get out of my room," she interrupts, turning to face him, at the same time she wipes the tears off her cheeks and ignores all his pleas to let him talk to her and explain the whole situation. In her mind, she doesn't even have the right to be feeling like this, she's not Robin's girlfriend, doesn't have any type of romantic relationship with him, so he can kiss whoever he wants and that shouldn't affect her as it is right now. But she doesn't rule her heart, and though he doesn't have to explain himself because she doesn't own him, she's not sure she's capable of continuing to look at him the same way she used to, "I'm fine, I just didn't know you were still with her."_

 _"I'm not," he quickly assures, taking a few steps in her direction, but stopping immediately when he hears her accusing him of sleeping with everyone, since he's so insistent that he's not with the other brunette._

 _She got him there, no matter how hard he tries to explain that it was her who kissed him and not the other way around, she'll always accuse him of letting that happen. Besides, his eyes capture something in her bed that makes his heart break into million pieces at the sight of it, the bloodstain on her white sheets that prove that he jumped into her bed and ruined her plans for a special first time at the first opportunity._

 _"Regina, why didn't you tell me?" he asks, cursing himself for not had been able to stick with his plan of just walk her to her dorm, wish her goodnight and leave. God, he shouldn't even have kissed her in the first place, let alone sleep with her. It really bothers him that he wasn't able to refuse it, but it upsets him too that she'd been willing to give all of herself to him when they don't have any kind of romantic relationship. He'd violated her privacy, yes, but she should've been the first one to protect herself, to keep him from doing that, not the other way around, "You should have protected yourself."_

 _"I wanted you to do it because I trusted you! I never thought you'd play with my feelings," she blurts out, tears prickling the back of her eyes once again at the way he was accusing her after what she'd allowed him to do. Now she knows that she likes him way more than just a friend, but after all this, she doesn't know if she's able to trust him anymore. She flinches when he reaches for her at her confession, hears his soft 'Regina', but she just feels the urge to push him away from her, to protect herself as he told her she should've done it the night before, "If you're done, I got things to do."_

 _He tries one more time to get her to see his point, but she keeps pushing him away, and if he knows her well, he will give her time, wait for the right moment to tell about his feeling for her too._

 _-/-_

It happened that, that moment never came. She never got the chance to hear him confess his feelings for her because he hadn't been determined enough and had never known how to fight for the people he liked. But now he needed to do that for his son, he will have to fight for the kid against his mother and she'll help him, but the hard work will have to be all his.

Regina takes care of the legal front, of course, helps him to convince the judge that he's a good father, but not even she can do a good job if that is a lie. As great as she's as a lawyer, there's also good judges that understand which parent does deserve the child's custody, and the final word belongs to them, so he better do a better job now than what he'd done with her back then.

So when he says he has to leave within two hours to pick his son at school because his mother simply asked him to do that, that catches her attention, because, probably it's not even his day with the kid and he's willing to leave their meeting to be with his son.

"It's alright, I actually have some things to do too," she replies, those words bringing her to the last time she actually spoke with Robin (at least a whole conversation without her running away), and she notices the memory had assaulted his mind too, because he frowns ever so slightly and clears his throat, before his phone save them both when the sound of a notification breaks the silence between them.

It's Marian informing him that she'd already let Roland's school know that is Robin who will pick the boy that day, and he could use that to change the subject and start again with Regina, but to tell the truth, he doesn't want to, he has to talk to her and might as well just cut to the chase than delay it even more.

* * *

 **Hi, I'm sorry for taking so long, but the chapter is large and I actually chose to split it. I promise I will finish the coffee scene in the next one.**

 **Tell me what did you think of this one, please :)**

 **Your reviews make my day.**


	4. Chapter 4

**Hi, here it's the next chapter, I try my best to update once a week and sorry for the delay, but the chapter it's pretty long, so I think you'll excuse me :P**

 **I hope you like it!**

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Chapter. 4

Robin keeps his attention on Marian's text for a while after his awkward moment with Regina. He watches from the corner of his eye as she continues to sip her coffee, her eyes fixed on the surface of the table, and he thinks he's not the only one trying to avoid what he knows is yet to come.

He's not able to pretend they didn't have a past, that nothing happened all those years ago when they didn't split up in good terms. And she shouldn't either. They will have to see each other a lot more from now on, so they should clear some things between them, for the sake of their work if not for their will to become friends once again.

Robin really wanted that. He never expected he'd be lucky enough to have another opportunity to remedy their situation - nothing would make him believe she'd have a reason to make her get in touch with him again - so now that her work had made her do it, he can't lose the opportunity, he'll try his best to have her back in his life since he failed to do that the last time.

"Regina, I really can't do this," he sighs, after placing the phone back on the table and focusing his attention completely on her, even if she keeps avoiding to look at him, "Not before we talk about what happened."

His heart beats frantically in his chest as he waits for any reaction from her part, his hands playing with each other to keep him entertained, until she places the cup back on the small plate and her eyes shift to look at him, causing his breath to get caught in his throat.

She's trying to play it cool, he notices that. But, deep down, he knows she's as nervous as him. She continues to move the cup between her fingers, making it spin as she thinks about an answer to give it to him.

"You mean, about your son?" she replies, and it seems she remains as smart as she has always been, running away from unwelcome issues with clever answers. It really amuses him, makes him remember the old Regina for whom he had developed a huge crush back then.

"I mean us," he retorts, and if they still had the close friendship they used to have ten years ago, she'd be rolling his eyes at him, telling him there's no 'us' when it comes to them, and he'd mess with her just a little bit more before letting her win their small argument.

But it's not the case. They're not best friends anymore, for a really long time now, so she just clears her throat, straights her posture on her seat and tries to make him forget that topic, "I thought you were in a hurry."

He is, but it's not like he can't spare his time today to talk about this, knowing it's important for them to keep civilized through their meetings. If he doesn't clear things with her, he will keep thinking about their past every time he'll look at her, at those brown eyes that once used to stare at him with such adoration, or those lips he had the chance to kiss the night he messed everything with her... if only he could apologize for that one more time.

"And I'm working. I didn't call you to talk about that situation," she continues, reaching for her bag and taking from inside what appears to be an envelope.

She won't let him talk to her today, he realizes, and against his better instincts, he'll not push her to do it just for the simple reason he's really in a hurry. There's Marian messing with his life, even when she's not _in_ his life. Would it really be that bad if she needed to take the bus to pick up Roland from school? It would certainly not cause so many problems as he's sure it will cause the fact he and Regina are avoiding to talk about important issues.

"Alright, but will you make time to talk about this?" he asks, because he has to make sure they won't forget about this so easily. He gave up from her before and he won't do it again, he just hopes she will do the same.

But she doesn't answer him, just sighs in response and focuses her attention on the envelope in her hand, placing it on the table in front of her before shifting her eyes to look at him, "Can you tell me about your son's situation? Who is he with? I'm guessing there wasn't any court intervention before."

"There wasn't," Robin agrees, thinking how recent this whole thing is, they haven't even agreed to a permanent schedule for Roland, and the moment he tells that to Regina, she immediately scolds him, and rightly so, arguing that the little boy needs that to help him to overcome the situation, not to mention that a schedule would help to prevent situations like this one, when Robin has to change his whole afternoon to pick his son when, initially, he would stay with his mother, "We just... we're unable to agree about anything."

And whose fault is that?

If only they were able to talk to each other without start a conflict that only ends up with one of them hanging up the phone, they would probably have a schedule by now. But, at the same time, there's something Robin knows. If it was easy, they weren't in this situation and he wouldn't need Regina to help him to get Roland's custody.

"So I take he stays with you tonight?" she asks, watching as he reaches for the menu and scans the options in an attempt to avoid looking at her, at the same time he shakes his head, informing her that he has to drop Roland at Marian's house after dinner. He hears her scoff, doesn't even make an effort to hide her indignation when she continues, "Robin, are you not in condition to drop him at school tomorrow morning?"

Of course, he is, is probably even more than Marian that claims to have a problem with her car to which he's sure that, if that's true, she'll not have the car ready the next day to drop Roland at school. Maybe Regina's right and he should really keep him for the night, he can tell Marian that excuse of her car and see how she'll react to it, "Yes, but-"

"So you should be able to keep him tonight," she interrupts, visibly forcing herself to calm down and making Robin wonder if this whole outrage is just because she's his lawyer (it's her job to advise him when it comes to the custody, after all) or because she's unable to erase the memory of their friendship of ten years ago, when she'd help him to fight his battles and fight it herself if he needed her to do it, "I mean, you tell me you don't have a schedule, so she can't really use that against you as long as she at least knows where he is," she explains, earning his attention with that, because he really dreads that his ex-wife can use anything against him to get Roland. He's not even comfortable to stand up to her too often, at least not as often as he should, and he hopes Regina will help him with that, encouraging him as she's doing now, "Not to mention how that will mess with the schedule your son should have before bed."

He can't help the corners of his lips to tilt up a little bit at her insinuation that Roland doesn't have a proper routine. She spoke too soon, but he can understand that her thought was well-founded, he just told her he and Marian didn't agree about which days he would have the boy at home, so how does he will make her believe he would worry about things like the bath before dinner or just a simple story before bed.

"Regina, do you have kids?" he asks, taking her by surprise with his question and watching as she fixes her eyes on the menu, still dangling in his hands, (that seems to be a pretty good escape for both of them) and then she's nodding slowly, as if she didn't want him to snoop into her life, and maybe she's right, maybe he shouldn't start asking questions too personal if he wants to get off on the right foot.

But he can't say it's not a surprise. Not that she won't be a good mother, but she's not married (at least she doesn't have a ring), unless it had happened something to the kid's father or she had gone through the same it's happening to him right now... _That really not concerns you, Robin_ , he thinks. He knows it's not his business to be thinking about those things so it's better if he doesn't push her too much regardless that issue. They will have time for that, but not now when she's trying to do her work.

"So you know how difficult it is to survive without a routine," he settles for that. It's playful, lighthearted, and it doesn't seem he's trying to know more about her life. Besides, it makes her laugh. That pleasant, carefree smile he had missed all these years ago.

###

Why does he have to be that gentle that makes her sympathize with him already on their first meeting, when she should be focusing on her work and not on the way his eyes glow at the mention of his son. This just means he still has an effect on her, and she should've prepared herself for that when she knew it wouldn't be easy the moment she saw his name written on that piece of paper.

She notices how his smile widens every time he talks about the little boy, and it makes her rethink her choice ten years ago when she chose to raise Henry by herself because 'Robin was not deserving of him', he didn't seem prepared to such responsibility as being a father at his twenties.

She could have told him, see how he'd react to the news, but if he'd rejected her, she'd probably feel worse than what she felt when she made this decision. Besides, she can't really go back and change her choice, so she has to do her best to get through this without affect Henry, and then she'll be back to her life, alone with her sons and hopefully with another successful case for her professional records.

But for now, she hears as he talks about Roland's routine, how the dinner time seems to be the most eventful one, and she really can relate that to when Henry was the same age, it was always a challenge to get him to eat all his food, but she can't say the same about Dylan. Maybe it's a Locksley's thing.

"It gets better with age," she says, thinking how Henry had really improved when it comes to that issue and realizing that she can't really be saying those things, almost admitting she has an older son when if Robin finds out Henry's age, she'll have a hard time hiding the truth from him.

So she almost sighs in relief when he just tells her that he hopes she's right, together with that insufferable smile of him, and she takes the opportunity to turn the conversation back to what brought them there, the custody of his son and not the routines of the kids, "So I suppose you want his full custody?"

"Marian wants his full custody," he corrects, and she looks confused for a second before she realizes that this is the Robin she knew, or she thought she knew before their night had happened, so she shouldn't be this surprised when he explains that he just wants what's rightfully his, "I don't believe taking him away from his mother would be a wise decision."

It's not. Unless she's a terrible mother or gives him evidence of poor parenting. But it's not wise taking him away from his father too, and that was exactly what she'd done to Henry ten years ago, the same this woman wants to do to her son now.

So why this whole story makes her want to genuinely fight for Robin's opportunity to keep his son when she'd done exactly the opposite regarding Henry?

She wants to redeem herself, even when she knows that a child doesn't replace another.

"You're right," she agrees, taking a paper out of the envelope and placing it in front of him on the table, "So you have to fill a petition and explain exactly that."

She watches as he reads the paper in front of him, all the instructions regarding the changes that may occur during the process and that have to be mentioned further ahead, such as remarriage of a parent or just an introducing of a new person into the household of the child.

"I don't think these things will happen so soon," he tells her, offering her a shy smile that Regina knows intends to mask his discomfort towards the possibility of existing another man with the father's role in Roland's life. And she wants to tell him that, at this point, nobody will be able to replace him in Roland's eyes, but he has to be prepared for another man to enter his son's life because it's not like they will be alone forever. They are young, and that possibility should apply to Robin too. There's still time for him to meet someone special, but that's certainly not a conversation she'll have with him.

"It's the rules and it's my job inform you of them," she explains, feeling really helpless when she hears him mutter _'of course_ ' in return. But it's the truth, and to avoid any more trouble, she has to keep a certain distance between them, "So I think it's all for today. You fill the petition and let me know when you do it?"

She reaches for her bag one more time, taking out from her wallet a card with her number and handing it to him, and she notices how he glances at the time on his phone, probably running late to pick up his son.

"I should give you my personal-"

"I will know it's you when you call me," she interrupts, because there's no point in him running late, and she really needs him to leave so she can have a moment to recover from this meeting before picking her son... their son, she thinks bitterly. And then he's getting up from his seat, has her doing the same just like her mother had always told her to do, and he must think this changed everything between them because he leaves her with a kiss on her cheek and a serious promise that he'll call her later to let her know about the petition.

Is he serious? This was not a date, she doesn't need him to promise her that he'll call her later when he really needs to do that since she's his lawyer.

The sound of the door closing behind her has her letting herself fall to the chair one more time, and her hands rise to her face to rub her eyes, at the same time she tells herself to stop judging everything concerned to Robin since if it was another person to tell her that, she'd be glad for the attention.

He was probably just being thoughtful. Excessively, unreasonably thoughtful, but, either way, that shouldn't affect her this much.

She glances out of the window towards the parking lot, to the spot where Robin had parked his car, and sees him seated inside, behind the wheel, just messing with his phone before his eyes find hers and he offers her a quick smile as he turns the engine on. Great, she was clearly observing him, and she remains watching him as he removes the car from the tiny space and makes his way down the road.

She should've left the coffee at the same time so she couldn't feel the need to watch him go, but there's still early for pick up Henry, and late for pick up Dylan first, so she decided that was better wait here than inside her car outside the school. She can always take advantage and buy something for Henry to eat.

Before she could even leave her seat to order something at the counter, the sound of her phone echoes through the room, together with the smiley face of her older son popping up on the screen.

"Hi, sweetie," she answers with a smile, mimicking the picture of a six-year-old she had chosen to go with his number. She should change to a more updated one, but she really loves that picture of him, laughing as he plays at the park, "Did you finish your classes?"

She hears as he confirms her suspicions, tells her he's ready for her to pick him up and says he will wait at the front door.

"Alright, I'm on my way," she hangs up the phone, walking towards the counter to pay for her drink, thinking that maybe she would even have time to take her son for ice cream.

###

It's half past three in the afternoon when he leaves Regina to pick up his son. He has to be at school at four, and he still has an at least half an hour ride to get there since Roland's school is conveniently near Marian's work and in the opposite direction of Robin's.

He'd been pleasant surprised when Regina had texted him the address of the coffee shop and had found out that it was pretty close to his workplace, that means she works close too, he hopes, not to mention that he'd be able to remain on that side of the town for the day. But then Marian called him, and now he has to drive to the daycare that he hadn't even agreed to put Roland in, in the first place, but Marian had claimed that it would be the best option since she's the one to pick him up most of the times.

What a lie. It should be that way at the beginning, but with all her excuses, Robin ends up picking him up a lot more.

So he finds himself thinking about his conversation with Regina, when she told him he should have the boy for the night, and this is one of the reasons for him to agree with her, because he'll have to drive half an hour to get home with his son after picking him up, and then another half to drop him at Marian's house when he should be already tucked up and asleep in bed.

This is not what Robin wants for his son. This probably just confuses him and makes this situation even more difficult, and makes Robin sound like an ungrateful person because he always ends up fighting with Marian and being accused of not wanting to be with his son when he has the opportunity.

And that's not true. All he wanted was to have a fixed schedule when he'd know which days he'd have Roland with him, and when he'd have to prepare everything to receive him at home.

He refuses to give into Marian's whims.

So here he is, comfortably seated in the driver's seat and sending a text to Marian, telling her Roland would stay with him tonight and without giving her room to argue. They don't have a schedule, just like Regina explained to him, so she can't do anything about it, Roland is still as much his son as hers and he can sleep in his father's house if he pleases. He's always asking for it, to sleep in his _'papa's house_ ' and arguing that he has to take care of the little hamster Robin agreed to buy, more to keep him company than really because Roland's pleads.

He places his phone on the seat beside him, lifts his eyes before start the car, only to find Regina staring back at him from inside the coffee shop. And she's really staring, is not worried to hide it from him as he offers her a quick smile before makes his way down the road. He knows he will probably hit the traffic of the afternoon, so he can't really be even later, he has to choose one of the back roads if he wants to get there on time.

But his mind is on Regina.

Why was she staring? She seemed genuinely interested, it felt like she wanted to tell him something, but he had left her before she could even get the chance. He'll wait to see if that's truth when he calls her. But not now, he doesn't want to seem so desperate to talk to her, even if he actually is.

He spots Roland's daycare after another twenty minutes driving his car, and he notices that Marian hasn't texted him yet, but he doesn't really care, he made his choice and he'll make sure Roland will stay with him, as long as the boy wants it too. He's sure he will. At least, it's what he ends up always asking for, even if the reason is because he's too tired to leave his father's house so late in the evening.

He enters the parking lot and parks the car, a smile on his face as it always is when he's about to see his son, and he heads for the front door with his phone in his pocket, just in case he needs to talk to Marian one more time.

"Daddy!" he sees his son as soon as he reaches the hallway of his class, making his smile widen instantly at the sight in front of him. Roland is always this enthusiastic when he sees Robin, running towards him and launching himself into his father's arms to hug him tightly, and this time is no different, he runs down the hallway and wraps his arms around Robin's neck, giggling as his father holds him in his arms and kisses his cheek, "It's you today."

Robin tries to ignore the impact of his words, it makes him sad to hear those words coming from Roland, but he's too happy to let that tear him down, is decided to push the thoughts about Marian out of his mind and focus just on the little boy in his arms, laughing and wriggling as Robin tickles him with his beard against his baby skin, "You tickle, daddy," he giggles, and how Robin had missed these moments. No matter how many times he's able to see Roland during the week, it's not the same as actually living with him.

"I missed you, little man," he says, and Roland gives him another hug as Robin starts to walk towards the hangers to get the coat and the little bag Roland takes to school every day, "How was school?"

"Good," Roland shrugs, releasing Robin from his embrace so his father could place him back on the floor to grab both things and help his son to put on his jacket, "I'm gonna stay with you, papa?"

He's looking at Robin with his pleading eyes, almost begging him for it than really asking, and if it was completely up to Robin, he'd answer him what he knows he wants to hear, but it's not, so he has to talk to Marian before giving him false hopes, even if he's decided to keep him.

"I... I will talk to mama about it, okay?" he answers, feeling more upset with Marian than he was before. If she thought about their son, she would tell him to keep him for the night without Robin having to ask, but she wanted everything in her own way, without caring if he would have to mess with Roland's schedule to give into her will.

Roland is already running back towards his teacher to say goodbye, pointing at Robin at the door and probably explaining he'll leave with his father, so Robin waves to announce his presence and holds Roland's hand when he walks back to him, so they start to make their way back to the car.

"I'm sure little John will be happy to see you," Robin says as he opens the back door to help Roland into his seat, and is immediately presented with an excited giggle from his son, who asks if he can play with the hamster as soon as he gets home, "Alright, and then bath?"

It's not difficult to convince him about the bath time, he actually likes it, so the ride home is pretty peaceful. He hears as his son talks about his day at school, the games with his friends and the new things he'd learned, but Robin has been thinking about this whole situation - and about what he'd told Regina about the custody. He told the truth when he said he didn't want to take his son away from his mother, but at the same time, he wonders if they would be able to share the decisions about Roland or if it would be just better if one of them had the full custody.

If it was his, he would allow Roland to stay with his mother, of course, he just doesn't believe they would be able to make decisions together when they can't agree on a simple schedule. He probably has to think about this a little bit more, before start to fill the petition Regina asked him, probably should talk to Marian about this, even if he knows what she wants and that doesn't include Robin in his son's life. At least, not as much as he wants it.

He doesn't want a mere day a week to be with the boy, or just to be Marian's chauffeur when she needs him to pick up Roland from school, so he will counter that. Will ask for the full custody if that means he gets to see his son, and will not push Marian away from Roland when he knows that that is the worst thing someone can do to him. Push him away from his parents. That would make everything harder. Roland doesn't understand (at least fully) what is happening, doesn't know why his parents are fighting all of a sudden, and why Robin left their house one night and never came back. And that bothers Robin too because he's the one who left, so he's the one to blame.

"Daddy, I can do it," Roland interrupts his thoughts, stretching his hand towards his father so he could give him the key for him to open the front door of their house.

He likes to do it. Likes to feel he's a big boy. And he is, is growing more and more each day, and Robin hates to admit it, but he's not a baby anymore, is a child who will need both parents' attention to help him grow.

He needs to be there for Roland.

And he is here now, walking into Robin's house and tossing his bag to the floor to run towards the rodent waiting for him in the kitchen. Roland will want to get him out of the cage, Robin knows it, so he'll take advantage and clean it... if the ring of his phone didn't interrupt him in the process.

He tells Roland to wait, doesn't really want a missed hamster in his kitchen, and walks towards the foyer to pick it up, sighing when he hears the voice on the other side of the line, "What was that text, Robin?"

"Hi, Marian," he greets, trying to ignore the way she continues to ramble without giving Robin a chance to speak, but, well, he was already expecting it. He feels lucky for managing to get home before Marian called him, otherwise he would have been having this conversation in the car, in front of Roland, and that wouldn't be better. This way he can choose for the privacy of his room, while Roland entertains himself with the TV, too much distracted to pay attention to his father's conversation, "He asked me to stay."

"No," she says immediately, arguing that he's four and he doesn't get to make the decisions, he doesn't know what it's best for him. Of course, because the best for him is to make a half an hour ride to his mother's house when he should be asleep instead, that makes sense, "He's closer from school here. You can have him for the weekend," there's that excuse again, always being used against him, and he has to fight the urge to tell her for the umpteenth time that he didn't choose that daycare, she did it. But now Roland has his friends, so Robin won't insist on changing schools, but he hates to hear her using that explanation, "In fact, I'll be out for the weekend so I need you to stay with him."

"I'll stay with him," Robin tries to hide his anger towards Marian, towards the fact that he gets to see his son when she _needs_ him to, and not because he's his father and should be able to spend time with the boy. But that will change, he remembers the talk with Regina, so he won't let Marian dictate his life anymore, "And I'll stay with him today."

"Robin-"

"I'm his father, Marian, and I can have him during the week," there's a silence when Robin remembers the boy is still in the living room, and he probably can't really hear him since Robin is locked in his bedroom, but it doesn't hurt to prevent it from happening, Roland doesn't need to hear their fights, "I'll drop him on my way to work, you know it's better than drop him at your house tonight, he'll be tired."

That should convince her of his idea. It's not like she doesn't care about Roland, and he's sure she knows he's right about that. Roland will be deep asleep when he gets to her house, so what it's the point of that if Robin can drop him at school in the morning?

"That's why I wanted him at home before dinner."

Robin runs his hand through his hair in despair, exhales heavily and tries one more time, "Marian, I want to be with him."

He doesn't know what to say anymore. Doesn't want to keep Roland against her will, that would be already halfway to piss her even more, but he doesn't want to give in to her every time, doesn't she should do the same sometimes?

"Alright," he hears her sigh from the other end of the line and he still can't believe she'd given in, this time, "We'll talk later about the weekend."

He offers her an ' _of course_ ' that is meant to comfort her, but she hangs up without another word, leaving Robin is his bedroom, phone in his hand and a sad smile on his face.

He's happy for having Roland, of course, he is, but he'd rather get through this without fight with Marian every time. They will probably overcome this, eventually, but till then, he wished they could be civilized, because of Roland, or even because of them, it's just exhausting having to argue every time he wants a day with his son, it's worthless. He should be able to enjoy his time with Roland without feeling that pang of guilt for having argued with his mother again.

He stands from his bed and leaves the room, heading towards the living room where he knows Roland is watching his cartoons, and at least he feels comfortable at the feeling he'll be able to tell his son he can stay with him today.

###

The following day goes by fast for Robin. He drops Roland at the daycare before work, and that's enough to leave him with a smile on his face that lasts for the rest of the day.

Tonight, Roland will be staying with Marian, (actually he will be staying with her the rest of the week because Robin will have him on weekend) so the blue-eyed man takes the chance and invites his lifelong friend Neal to a drink at the pub beside his work. He has news to tell him, most of them related to a certain brunette, who happens to be now his lawyer and had managed to mess with his nights already.

He barely slept that night, between thinking about his situation with Marian and the one with Regina, and apart from that, he has to admit he can't get out of his head the image of big brown eyes staring at him from the window, with the same glow he recognizes from ten years ago.

She stills look beautiful, even more now that life brought them together one more time - just to make his life harder if he continues to think about Regina this way - but he can't help himself, he recognizes a beautiful woman when he sees one and Regina is definitely in that category.

"Hey, mate, long time no see," he hears Neal greet from behind him, patting his shoulder and making the stool where Robin is seated turn with the movement, "Where have you been?"

"Working," he smiles at his friend, at the same time he gestures towards the bartender in an attempt to call him so he can write down their order.

They both settle for beer, their drink of choice, but since is a weeknight and Robin has to be up early to go to work the following morning, he promises himself he'll just drink one, to go with their talk because he knows he'll need it.

He's already expecting a lecture when he informs Neal about Regina, his friend knows everything that happened between them so he expects him to say he can't get too much attached to her if he'll have to see her a lot more from now on, as well as how he'll have to keep things professional if he doesn't want to make the same mistake twice.

As if Robin doesn't know that himself.

Of course, he doesn't want to mess things up this time. All he wants is to have Regina back in his life, as a friend or just a support when it comes to Roland's situation.

"You called me to talk about work?" Neal teases, at the same time their drinks are placed in front of them, causing Robin to immediately take a sip of his beer to handle where this conversation is about to go, "How come I don't believe that?"

"Me and Marian broke up a few weeks ago," Robin blurts out, waiting for Neal's reaction, which didn't take long to make itself noticed when he almost chokes on his own drink and stares back at Robin, who was trying to seem calm since the worst is yet to come, "We divorced, actually."

"How... what about Roland?" Neal asks, placing his cup in front of him and focusing completely his attention on his friend. This was bad, very bad, Neal was already staring astounded at Robin, so he didn't want to imagine the man's reaction when he tells him about who his lawyer is for Roland's custody.

"We are working on his custody, actually, which leads me to another issue," Robin stops himself, thinking this probably needed more time to be explained properly, but he has to talk to someone otherwise he'll probably make another mistake, he needs some advice so he knows how to deal with Regina's situation, "I had to find a lawyer as you must know, I just didn't expect my lawyer to be... Regina," he mutters almost to himself, but he's sure Neal had heard him when the other man's eyes widen in response, the cups with the beers long forgotten between them.

"You don't mean... _your_ Regina?" Neal asks unbeliever, already knowing the answer before Robin nods to let him know he's thinking right, he's really talking about his former best friend for whom Neal knows Robin had fallen in love with and then had messed everything.

"I wouldn't say 'mine' but-"

"Robin, this is good," Neal interrupts him, a genuine smile on his face as he takes the blue-eyed man by surprise, and, what does he mean when he says this is good? This is far from good, or it should be, Robin is completely confused with this whole situation, "I always knew you two were destined to be."

"Whoa, stop there," Robin immediately stops his rambling. Is he crazy? This hardly means Regina is ready to forgive him or to accept him in her life again. Not to mention that Robin doesn't know how he feels about her anymore. They are different people, they are not the two young adults that had slept with each other in college, they are parents now, with their own families that would be caught up in the middle if something happened between them... which is very difficult to believe in the first place, "This is about Roland, Neal, I didn't even think about her that way."

"What a bunch of lies, Robin," the other man insists, sipping his drink once again before continue with his line of thoughts, "You were completely crazy about her before the whole thing happens, do you want me to believe you didn't feel anything when you met her after all these years?"

Robin sighed at that, because yes, he had felt something when he saw her enter that coffee for their meet, or even when he heard her voice on the other end of the line when she called him in the first place. He'd missed that voice, would recognize it anywhere, anytime, but the moment she said she'd be his lawyer, everything in his head just went blank. He didn't know how to reply to her, what he should say in a situation like that when their 'separation' had been so tough, so he'd let her do the talking and had just agreed to meet with her at the coffee, hoping the time he'd have till then would help him to think.

"Yes, I... I never thought I'd see her again," he confesses with a smile, that quickly disappears from his face when he remembers that they haven't met again to start a new friendship after ten years, but for her to help him with the situation of his son, "But... she has her life, Neal, I don't want to intrude."

"You could have been part of that life," the other man states, knowing that would, at least, help him to open his eyes about Regina's situation since at college he didn't know how to do that. Robin rolls his eyes at that, mutters a ' _Yeah, thanks a lot_ ' and sips his beer in an attempt to mask the discomfort those words really caused him. Both of them had made mistakes when they chose to sleep with each other that night - she shouldn't have hidden that that was her first time with someone and he shouldn't have allowed that to happen in the first place, nor should have let his ex-girlfriend kiss him, nor should've given up on Regina so easily... alright, he needed to admit he had most of the fault, but now there was nothing they could do about it so why his friend insisted on reminding him of that situation, "Is she single?"

God, is he serious?

"I don't know, Neal," Robin sighs, trying to convince himself he hadn't tried to find out the same thing when he shook her hand to greet her at the coffee. He doesn't even know why he did that, he knows that he'd lost that right a long time ago, but he couldn't ignore the fact that he still cared about her and would want nothing more than to know that she's happy, "But she has kids."

"So there's a father somewhere."

Alright, this was crossing the line, they were talking about her personal life and Robin didn't feel comfortable at all. Maybe it hadn't been a good idea to tell Neal about this whole thing since he just seemed to want to push him into Regina's arms once again.

"Probably it is, yeah, but I don't think that concerns us," Robin replies, feeling a stab in his heart when he admits that probably Regina really has someone waiting for her at home every day, the father of her child, who had the chance to have this type of life with her.

Who is kidding? He thinks about these things, even if he doesn't want to admit it out loud.

"But there's another thing I wanted to know your opinion," Robin tries to change the topic, taking out of his satchel the papers Regina had given him with the instructions for the petition, "I'm considering to ask for the full custody."

###

Regina sits on the couch with an almost sleeping Dylan against her chest, right after she reads her two boys their usual good night story and leave Henry tucked in his bed. Dylan is grumpier than usual, so she decides to snuggle on the couch with her younger son, hoping that will help him to fall asleep more easily and would allow her to have a peaceful night of sleep. She needs it, especially when she hasn't been able to have that the night before when she had just remained awake thinking about her meet with the blue-eyed man and the fact that that same man is her son's father. And she shouldn't have. She shouldn't spend so much time thinking about that man, about what they could have been if he hadn't left her the following morning, or if she had told him about Henry when she found out she was pregnant. That moment had been an emotional roller coaster.

 _She'd missed her period for two months now, two months after she'd slept with Robin and had rushed to tell Emma they'd done that without any type of protection. They were drunk and she wasn't on the pill since he'd been her first one and completely unexpected, and she'd been sick. Morning after morning she'd leave their room towards the bathroom. Regina just knew it, even before her friend had dragged her to a pharmacy to buy her a pregnancy test. She hadn't known how to react when she'd seen the evidence right in front of her, the two pink lines right there in her hand, letting her know that her suspicions were really true. She was pregnant and it was Robin's._

 _She talked about abortion with Emma, that way she could complete her studies and would focus on starting a family later, but soon she admitted to herself that she wasn't able to do that to her child, the mistake had been hers and not the baby's so he shouldn't pay for her actions, not when she had other options on the table like adoption. It would probably provide him a better life and would allow her life to go back to normal, under the circumstances. But that would mean she'd have to drop college anyway, not to mention she'd have to talk about that with Robin. He'd have to give his approval since this baby was his too._

 _So she had kept him, had made an appointment at her doctor immediately and had fallen in love with this child from the moment she saw the baby on the screen, or what apparently was her baby._

 _"You'll have to tell Robin anyway, you know?" Emma said as Regina continued to examine the ultrasound picture, imagining if she would have a boy or a girl, or how the baby would look like when it got older. Brown eyes, blue eyes? Or brown hair like hers and Robin's dimples, "It'll be hard to hide when your belly starts to grow."_

 _"He won't see me when that happens," Regina placed the picture inside her wallet, stopping in front of the mirror and staring at her still-flat belly. She'd have to find a way to support herself and this child, and that would be difficult to do if she kept paying for her college and didn't look for a well-paid job. Not to mention she'd have to look for a place to rent, she couldn't return to her mother's house now that she was free. She didn't even know how to tell her mother in the first place that her life would change completely in a few months._

 _"I can't keep study, Emma," she turned to her friend, placing a hand on her stomach and rubbing it back and forth, "It'll be just me and this baby, I have to work if I want to support both of us."_

 _"I get it, but Robin should help, he knocked you up," Emma argued, leaving her seat on the bed to move towards her friend, who had walked towards the wardrobe to pull her suitcase from the higher shelf, "I do that."_

 _"I'm not invalid," Regina protested, letting her remove the bag anyway and moving to take Emma's previous seat on the bed._

 _She won't lie and say she couldn't use help when the baby was born but she certainly didn't need it. Plenty of women had succeeded as single mothers, she would be just another one in that group, and she would make sure she would be as successful as any of them._

 _"And I don't need Robin, we can't be a family, anyway, so it would just bring me more trouble," Regina continued, watching as the blonde placed the bag beside her friend on the bed and moved to stand right in front of the brunette, her arms crossed in front of her chest and a suspicious look on her face, "Besides, we already have our family, right?" she talked to her belly this time, addressing her baby, oblivious that the look on Emma's face had changed completely, "It's you, me and your crazy aunt Emma."_

 _"Hey, don't encourage the kid to call me crazy," Emma teased, pulling Regina from the bed and into a tight hug, and murmuring how proud she was of her and that she wouldn't be able to make the decision Regina was making at that moment. She would put her life in standby to raise this child, without any help - apart from Emma, who couldn't do much - and she would start from scratch, without a house or a proper job, and without any experience when it comes to be a mother, "Promise me you'll tell me if you need help,_ _ **any help**_ _," the blonde reinforced, and Regina knew she was referring to money, as if she would be able to ask her for that type of help._

 _It wasn't fair, she'd messed up, she'd have to fix it, it wouldn't be Emma to blow her savings even if she insisted that her part-time job as an assistant at the station guaranteed her good money. It was hers, not Regina's, "I'll be fine."_

 _"Regina..."_

 _"I'll, Emma," she assured, squeezing her friend's hands before the blonde pulled it away from her grasp to place it on Regina's belly and mutter something to the baby._

 _"Take care of her for me and try to be good for your mommy, okay?"_

Henry had been good, had been more than good on the nights he'd let her recover her sleep after an especially busy day, or when she needed to leave him with the nice old lady at the diner beside her workplace because she needed to pick up an extra shift. And he would always stay without a problem, without making her feel a terrible mother for returning to an already sleepy Henry, and she was sure that helped a lot. She didn't know what she would have done if Henry didn't let her leave him so easily, she couldn't subject the old lady to look after a crying baby that would probably disturb her clients on top of that, not to mention she wouldn't be able to focus on her work knowing her son would be crying for her on the building next door. It wouldn't do, and only she knows how that extra money had helped, _a lot_.

She was lost in her thoughts when she felt her phone vibrating beside her - she'd removed the sound so there was no chance to wake up Dylan - and she considered to ignore it and just focus on the baby on her lap, but he wasn't even asleep yet, so there was no harm if she picked up the call, "Yes?"

"Regina?" she hears from the other side, causing her to straight her posture at the sound of his voice and her son to start whimpering at her sudden movement.

 _Calm down, Regina, what was that for?_

"Ugh... bad timing?" he asks, probably hearing the whines coming from her son as she tries to stand, at the same time she balances the phone between her ear and her shoulder and mutters something to soothe the baby, "I can call tomorr-"

"It's fine," she assures, now holding the phone in her hand while she paces the room in an attempt to lull her son to sleep. He'd stopped complaining, but now she was sure that would be an eventful night, between Robin's call and Dylan's tantrum, she knew she wouldn't get much sleep tonight, either, "I was just... It doesn't matter, I'm sure what you have to say it's more important."

"Nothing should be more important than our kids," he replies, and she holds her breath at that, at the several meanings she can get from those words, and it just comes to her head the image of her older son, and how Robin will be mad at her if he ever discovers she had... she is hiding Henry from him. Maybe now he's a good father and his son is the most important thing in his life, but would be the same ten years ago? Would he give in part of his life to raise a child with her?

At the time, she was sure that no. They weren't even together, how would she believe that he would do whatever it takes to be part of his son's life?

She takes a deep breath as she tightens the grip around Dylan's little body, and she walks towards the mirror on the wall, turning so that she could see her son's face, only to see in the reflection his eyes almost closing, "I... He's pretty much asleep and I'm sure what you have to say it's about your son, too."

"It's about the petition," he agrees, and she pictures him seated on the couch, studying the papers at the same time he talks to her, "But we can talk tomorrow, I shouldn't have called in the first place."

Why he has to be so stubborn? She's telling him he can talk to her so that means she can talk. It's probably even better now because if he calls tomorrow and happens to be Henry to pick up the phone (as he likes to do sometimes), she'd be in trouble, a big, big trouble, "Robin, speak. Do you have any question about the petition?"

"I already filled it, actually," he answers, and she replies with a genuine ' _great_ ', because the sooner he gives her the papers, quickly they can start to take care of the case, and quickly the whole situation with his son will be settled down, "Do you want me to meet you somewhere? Or I can leave the papers at your office tomorrow?"

Regina sighs inaudibly at that, at the prospect of seeing him again after only two days, but tells him that they can meet the next day, and he can choose the place this time because she _'could use a bit of fresh air after a day inside the office'_ , so she will be waiting for him to send her the address just as she had done to him the first time they had met.

"Alright, I'll choose a nice place so you can clear your head," he says, and she can spot the playful tone in his voice, making her laugh genuinely before she forced herself to stop as she remembers the baby sleeping in her arms. She can't let Robin get too close, they have to maintain a professional relationship for everyone's sake.

"Thank you, I'll be waiting then."

She walks towards Dylan's room to put the sleeping baby in his crib, but the phone is still against her ear, none of them willing to hang up the call, so they just remain in silence while Regina tucks her younger son beneath the covers.

It's just when she's back in the living room that she addresses Robin one more time, not really knowing why they're still talking to each other, "I just put him to bed."

"I'm sorry if I woke him-"

"No, he was in a bad mood already," she assures, her gaze fixed on the black screen of the TV, but she doesn't turn it on, she's just pleased to hear Robin's voice on the other end of the line.

"I should let you rest too," he offers, making her feel a pang of disappointment in her chest to hear his goodbyes.

She shouldn't, but she was enjoying talking to him, relishing in the old sensation of having him just a phone call away, "Thank you for letting me know about the petition."

"Anytime, milady, have a good night."

"You too," she replies, hanging up the call and letting her phone fall to the spot on the couch beside her. Damn it, she's already letting this whole thing caught up with her. She never thought she'd feel so weak every time she hears his voice, let alone having to face him in less than twenty-four hours.

* * *

 **Please tell me what you thought, your reviews help me so much to continue the story :)**

 **See you in the next chapter.**


	5. Chapter 5

**Hi, since today is once day and we'll have our thief back, I did my best to update today too :)**

 **I hope you like it and thanks for the reviews**

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Chapter 5.

He texts her the address as soon as he gets to work. The day is warm, the sun is shining, so he's pretty optimistic about the place he chose for their second meeting.

Robin had already prepared everything at home that morning and had carried everything with him to his office, but it would be worth it, at least if that would make him win Regina's trust once again. He'd made sure to prepare them some snacks, sandwiches and juice, just in case they felt hungry during their conversation.

So at one in the afternoon, Robin is ready to leave his work and meet with Regina. He puts on his jacket and grabs the basket with the food, and then he's out of the door, a pleased smile on his face as he walks towards the address he'd sent the brunette. He hoped to get there first, to get everything ready before she arrives, so when he gets to the park and confirms that there's no sign of her yet, his smile widens even more, to know that he'll be able to surprise her this time.

He finds a wooden table that fits them perfectly - it's a weekday so the place it's not too crowd - and places the basket on top of it, after he spreads the tablecloth over the surface so he can start to unpack. He's starting to feel the nervousness of this meeting, knowing he can't really mess everything up this time if he wants to start again with Regina. He decided he wants to win her friendship again, to keep in touch with her after this whole custody issue is over, and he'll do his best to accomplish that, will not give in even if she asks him to do it.

###

Her day starts smoothly as she leaves her sons at school. She goes to her office, and since she doesn't have pretty much anything new to focus her attention to, she entertains herself scanning her emails and even has time to take a break and catch up with her blonde friend.

She remembers Emma doesn't know about Robin yet.

Regina keeps thinking about how she'll react when she knows that her client is their old friend, the father of one of her kids, but Emma is so spontaneous, so unpredictable, that Regina can't really say what she's expecting of her - she can be either thrilled or defensive at the news, you never know.

So she finds herself picking up her phone from her purse, she doesn't want to risk and use the company's one, and deals the blonde's number, hoping she'll be able to talk while at work. She really, really needs to talk to someone about this, and she has to know Emma's opinion so she can have some guidance.

"You okay?" she hears from the other end of the line as the blonde picks up the call, and yeah, right, Regina almost forgot about Emma's superpower when it comes to her friends.

"Great, why wouldn't I be?" she quickly answers, glad Emma can't see her at this moment, but knowing that it's not a phone that will keep her from figure out how Regina is feeling about Robin's return. She'd witnessed everything between them, all the fights and some of the best moments, and had told the brunette to go for it if she really felt something about her best friend, that before she knew what had happened the morning after they'd slept together. After finding out about that, she'd said that she liked Robin, he was a good friend, but she couldn't let him hurt her best friend, so she'd apologized to Regina, but she wouldn't support that relationship if the brunette chose to forgive him.

But it had been always Regina's choice to leave.

"You're calling me in the morning, you never call me at this time of the day," the blonde reasons, making Regina scold herself for not thinking about that. In her defense, she never thought Emma would notice something like that, why does she care about the time of the day Regina is calling? But she's right, Regina was almost anxious to talk to her and if she waited for the afternoon, she'd have to rush this conversation because she'll meet Robin... a second time this week, "C'mon, Regina, you know you can talk to me."

"I know I can," Regina replies, her eyes fixed on the computer screen, watching as the emails continue to fill her inbox. She receives one from Sidney, the field of the subject filled with a ' _lunch?_ ' and a smiley face, and she's really sorry to have to turn down his offer, but she will make sure to answer to him personally, after all, he's just on the other side of her door and it's the least she can do, "I have to tell you something, actually."

"I'm getting old here," Emma teases, and Regina rolls her eyes at her friend's response.

Alright, this is it. Regina feels suddenly nervous to talk about this with Emma, and she just hopes she will not make her life even more difficult when all she needs is some reassurance. That she'll be capable of getting through this without dragging Henry to the middle, and without bringing old feelings to the mixture as well.

"It's about Robin," she finally says, not waiting to hear what Emma has to say before she continues, "He's my client."

"What? Since when?" Emma asks.

Regina exhales heavily at the question, and well, it's better to tell her everything at once, right?

"Since Monday and I already met him. I have a new meeting with him today."

There's a silence on the other end of the line as both of them wait for the other to say something, but Regina has nothing more to say, it's Emma's turn to react.

"Does he know about Henry already?" the blonde asks, and rightfully so, it was Regina's first concern too, apart from the one to keep the old feelings at bay, something she's almost failing to do since she'd chosen to stare at him when he left the coffee shop on Monday. _Great, Regina, always doing the right thing_. She'd been handling this so well, why he had to come and spoil everything? She'd been able to have a healthy relationship with Daniel, to have a son with him, to raise Henry with him, but now Robin was here and all she could think about was how things could've been different if he hadn't left her that morning. And she feels horrible to think that way because, she doesn't regret anything she had with Daniel, she really loved him and is glad for Dylan, she just wished Robin hadn't entered her life after all this.

"No," Regina answers, reaching for the frame on her desk and staring attentively at the smiley faces of her family the day after Dylan was born. They were so happy, Henry had his arms around his mother and his new brother, and Daniel was looking so affectionately at them. It wasn't fair the way he'd been taken away from them so soon, he'd barely twenty-seven years old at that time and that made her realize that accidents can happen to anybody, they couldn't prevent that car from crashing into Daniel's, the thought causing a feeling of nausea to settle in her stomach, "I just don't want Robin in my life again."

"I know," Emma tries to soothe her, her voice soft, "He's not _in_ your life, you're just his lawyer."

It's difficult to accept that when there's so much history behind it, which just causes the nausea she's feeling to get even worse. The truth is, he's _in_ her life, had already been able to make her think about him, and for her, that's the worst. She doesn't want to think about Robin. She wants to focus on her life with her two boys. She doesn't need the well-known feeling of lost to take care of her again, especially not when she's still trying to deal with Daniel's death, and she shouldn't even be feeling this anxiety because she thinks she's disrespecting Daniel every time she pictures in her head what could've happened if her and Robin had raised Henry together.

This is why she waited to call Emma, because she hates to show herself vulnerable in public, and now she has the few tears that were prickling the back of her eyes running down her cheeks. She hates to open up.

"Regina, did you let me talking to myself?" Emma teases, clearly trying to cheer her up.

But she's not in the mood for jokes, and before the blonde could say something else, Regina admits, "I'm sorry, I'm not feeling too well, can we talk later?"

"Regina, please, don't cry," Emma tries, probably noticing the change in her friend's voice. But Regina places the frame back in its place and runs to the bathroom, the whole thing is stronger than her and she'd kept everything inside since the day she met him, and now she was throwing all out, literally, drawing Sidney's attention to make the situation even worse.

She hates to feel like this in her workplace, and she shouldn't have called Emma this morning, not when she has to face her source of problems in a few hours, and now she's trying to control herself, holding the phone in one hand while the other is busy holding her hair away from her face. She can hear Emma on the other side of the line, can hear but not understand what she's saying, since her hand is holding the device against her leg, and she tries to pull herself together as she takes deep and slow breaths, and trying to push the thoughts about the meeting with Robin away from her head.

"Why didn't you call me earlier?" she hears when she places the phone back against her ear, standing up and placing her free hand on her stomach - it's twisting and turning - and flushes the toilet before walking towards the row of sinks, hoping the water would be enough to get rid of the bad taste in her mouth.

What she wouldn't give to be in her house, right now, with her toothbrush at disposal.

"I didn't know what to say," she answers, putting Emma on the speaker and turning on the water to rinse her mouth and wash her face from the tears. She is feeling really embarrassed, and on top of that, she can hear Sidney at the door, knocking and trying to know if she is okay, when she just needs some space to deal with the whole situation. It's her life, and she hates when everybody tries to be helpful.

She walks towards the door, keeps it close, and assures him that she's fine, she's just nauseous with something she ate, she'll be out in a minute - as soon as she fixes her hair and finds a way to deal with her smudged mascara.

She needs to reach her bag. It's in her office and she'll have to cross the offices' hallway, but fortunately she has the makeup remover with her. As well as the mascara. She always heard a woman forewarned is forearmed.

"Regina, I hate that this is actually make you sick," she remembers she left Emma on the phone, and as soon as she hears Sidney's footsteps walking away from the door, she returns to collect the device, placing it back against her ear so there was no chance for someone to overhear as her friend adds, "You won't meet Robin today."

"That's not an option," Regina argues, still feeling uneasy about the whole situation, especially now that she knows she can throw up at any moment. What if she feels sick during the meeting with him?

She sighs at the thought, leans against the counter, and remains silent for a moment, wondering if Emma is right.

No, she isn't. This is her job, not a date. She has no right to feel as nervous as if she would actually on a date with Robin.

Maybe this is just about the stress, and if she can relax a little she'll feel better. She just needs to get ready, look included. Will walk back towards her office and get that mascara - it's actually the only makeup she carries with her everywhere, but it'll do... again, this is not a date.

She walks towards the door, stops to try to hear if there's someone outside (the last thing she needs is another person seeing her like this), and when she doesn't hear anything, she walks out of the compartment, heading towards her own office as quickly as she can.

When she finally closes the door behind her, she hears Emma on the phone one more time, still trying to convince her to delay the meeting, "I bet a day off won't ruin his case."

"I need him to give me his petition," she explains, ignoring the wave of nausea as she reaches for her bag, gripping the makeup remover in her hand - and the mascara - and stopping in front of the mirror.

This has to be quick. She can't stand for too long and she knows in a few minutes she'll have Sidney entering into her office to know what happened to her - she also knows he'll not push her if she doesn't want to talk about it, but he cares about her and he's a good friend, she doesn't like to always turn him down every time he attempts to help her.

And regarding Robin, she's a professional, she has to know how to separate things in order to be successful in her job. Nobody said being a lawyer was easy. She has to get this over with so he won't remain in her life for a lot more time, as well as because of his son, the kid doesn't have the fault for this messy situation.

"I will get the petition," Emma offers, and Regina freezes, at the prospect of Emma meeting Robin again (as it was mentioned before, she's impulsive, and Regina doesn't really want to have to deal with the problems this meeting could bring to both of them. She needs Emma to help her and not to be against Robin, let alone having her standing up for her, as if she isn't able to do that herself), "And I'll pick you up now, you're overburdening yourself."

"It's okay, Emma, this is my job," the brunette argues, clearing her throat in an attempt to make her voice go back to normal. She had been able to control the tears and it's decided not to let Robin mess with her life like this, but she can't stop the nauseous feeling to come back. She just wished he hadn't this impact on her, together with the old memories of Daniel that are making her even more nervous, "I'm better now."

"And I'm getting in the car."

She can't help but feel a sense of gratitude towards this woman, and maybe she's right, maybe she needs to ease her mind regarding this whole issue, but that won't get the job done. She'll have to meet Robin, sooner or later, and she'd prefer sooner.

"Alright, Emma," she exhales, feeling awful to lie to her friend, but it's for the sake of everyone, "I'll take the afternoon off, how that sounds?"

"Great, I'm on my way."

Regina exhales one more time and pushes the guilt out of her mind as she replies, "Thank you, text me when you get here."

And then she hangs up, just in time for Sidney to knock on the door and settle himself on the seat across from her when she tells him to come in. This will end badly. She knows Emma just wants to help, just wants to take measures since Regina doesn't do that herself, but she's not the teenage girl she was ten years ago and now she has a job, one that can't be put on hold just because she's not able to deal with the client in question - she literally feels sick when she thinks of him and she wished it was for worst reasons. She finds herself thinking about those blue eyes more often than not, about the time Robin used to care about her. She's been missing that feeling since Daniel's death, and now Robin is reminding her of that once again.

"Regina," Sidney asks, waiting until she finishes to apply her mascara and take the seat across from him, "Are you okay?"

She didn't want to ask him this, but she doesn't have another option, doesn't have anyone to do this for her, so Regina sighs, places everything back in her bag, and explains, "I'm not feeling very well. Can you contact my client and send him my address? I need him to give me his petition."

###

The car ride home doesn't help. As she enters her house with Emma, Regina feels more and more sick, and she's not sure this is just about Robin anymore. She feels that discomfort in her body when she's about to coming down with the flu, and she feels warm and sweaty, all signs that this was not the stress taking care of her (at least not just the stress, she's sure that that had its share of this as well - she doesn't usually get sick, doesn't even have time for that, but maybe this whole situation had caused this to happen) and she probably looks terrible as well because Emma is staring at her as soon as she closes the front door of her house, and teasing, "I'll pick up the kids, you don't want any of them to catch whatever you have."

And no, she doesn't. But does she look that bad?

Her stomach is twisting and making her feel sick, and she'll probably need to be near to a bathroom, but she'd been thinking she was doing a pretty good job hiding that. She didn't want Emma to worry about her or to think she needs to take care of her. She'll feel better. As soon as she takes some medicine she'll be just fine.

"Thank you, I'll pick them up after dinner," Regina says, glancing at her friend when she remembers she'd left her car in front of her office. It's not that far away from her house, but now she'll have to walk there to pick it up and it's just another waste of time since she was pretty capable of driving to her house, "I'll take a cab."

Emma rolls her eyes at her friend. Is she serious? "I'll call you to see how you feel and I'll bring them," she replies, closing the front door behind her and not even giving Regina an opportunity to protest.

Fine by her. It actually comes in handy, she's not sure she'll feel better in just a few hours and this way she'll not have to leave the house today. It's a huge help.

So she walks towards her bedroom to get rid of her uncomfortable black stilettos, opting for her warm slippers and wrapping her body in her white robe, and makes her way back downstairs, just in time for the doorbell to ring one more time.

She rolls her eyes in amusement at the thought that it's probably Emma coming back for something, and she quickly changes her path to head towards the front door, opening it with a swift movement without even looking at the person standing on her porch, "What did you forget?"

"I thought you wanted me to give you the petition."

###

He waits for her half an hour, a painful half an hour, considering he's already imagining Regina regretting to meet with him a second time, but then his phone vibrates in his pocket, an unknown number popping up on the screen, and at first, he thinks it can be Regina calling him to cancel their meeting, but then he's welcomed by a man's voice, asking for Robin Locksley on the other end of the line, and he almost sighs in relief.

"This is him," Robin replies, standing up from his seat to pace around.

"Sidney Glass, I'm calling on behalf of Regina Mills. I'm afraid she's getting sick, she asked me to inform you."

Sick? She sounded fine yesterday on the phone.

"I know you had a meeting with her today, and since she insisted that it was really important, she asked me to send you her address so you can give her the petition," Sidney continues, and Robin smiles pleased to hear she considers their meeting 'important', even if deep down he knows she's not talking about the meeting itself, but rather because she needs him to give her the petition as soon as possible.

"Oh, I hope she's okay," he replies, genuinely, trying to hide his personal care for her, "And thank you for letting me know. Can you send me the address by text?"

He should ask who this Sidney is. It can be anyone lying to him and using Regina's name, but Robin is really concerned about her and all he wants now is to give her what she needs for her job and make sure she's fine. By what he's able to remember from yesterday, she has a baby and what if she needs help?

"Of course."

Robin tightens his grip on his phone, answering with a ' _Thank you_ ' before hanging up the call.

He hopes he can trust this Sidney. Regina seemed pretty fine the day before, was even talking to him unhurriedly, but these things can happen overnight and he'll be a lot more relaxed if he sees with his own eyes that she's fine.

So he puts the food back on the basket he prepared for their meeting, folds the tablecloth and stashes it with the food as well, and checks his phone to see the address before make his way towards Regina's house.

It's just two blocks away, so the drive there is pretty quickly and he doesn't have to wait too much until he's standing on her porch, waiting for her to open the door, and when she does, she's wrapped in a white robe, her eyes focused on the fabric as she fixes it to protect herself from the air coming from outside, and she didn't even realize it's him as she blurts out, "What did you forget?"

"I thought you wanted me to give you the petition," Robins answers, an amused smile on his lips when she finally looks up and realizes it's him.

"Robin, I'm sorry, I thought... never mind."

He can't quite decipher if she's happy to see him or if he's just being a huge inconvenience, but by her reaction, it seemed someone had just left and had forgotten something. Maybe his first thought was right, maybe she really has someone to receive her at home every day, or to take care of her at moments like this one, it's not his job and despite he wished he could help, he doesn't know where she wants to keep their boundaries, "Do you want me to leave? I knew you weren't feeling well so I thought I'd stop by and make sure you didn't need anything... and to give you the petition, of course."

She seems to relax a bit at his explanation, shakes her head and opens the door wider, at the same time she gestures for him to come in.

He follows her towards the kitchen, everything is neat and clean, and he wonders how she manages to keep the house like this during the week. It's a nice house, spacious but welcoming, and he pictures her walking down the stairs every morning with her baby in her arms (she has a baby by what he gathered the night before at the phone), but he shouldn't even be thinking about those things, it's not his place to imagining her in her mother role. So he watches as she reaches for some pills in the medicine cabinet, places them on the counter, and fills a glass with fresh water.

He just hopes it will help her, he hates to see her so vulnerable.

She looks mainly tired, and he fights the urge to tell her to rest, to forget about her job for a bit and just lie down.

But he can't do that. He's not even her friend anymore, he's just a client. So he takes a seat at the counter and watches as she swallows the water and the pills in one sip, the glass slipping from her hands and falling to the floor when she moves to support herself against the counter, "Regina, are you alright?"

She's exhaling heavily, not even protests when he reaches for her and places his hands on her forearms, and then she's running towards the bathroom and throwing away what's left of her breakfast. Apparently, the water is not a bright idea.

"I'm sorry, I... I can't talk about the petition today," she exhales, leaning against the tub behind her and placing her forehead on her knees, "Thank you for bringing it, but you can go, I'll make sure to read it and give you a call."

She has to be kidding. She won't read anything, she needs to rest, get better before start to overburden herself with work, "You won't do such thing."

"Excuse me?" she lifts her head, the sudden movement making her reach for the toilet one more time as Robin crouches behind her to hold her hair away from her face. He definitely won't leave her alone when she's like this, she needs help.

"Come here," he helps her to stand when she thinks the nausea is settling down, holds her when she stops in front of the sink to wash her face, and leads her towards the couch, thinking that she'd probably be better on her bed, but not wanting to 'invade' even more her space, "Are you comfortable?"

He places a blanket over her body, and he knows that if she's getting feverish, she shouldn't be wrapped in so much fabric, but he knows too how uncomfortable having a fever can be and maybe the blanket can help with her shivers. At least until she's able to calm down. He wants to do everything he can to help her to rest and get better, even if that means he has to stay here and look out for her as she sleeps. So he watches as she snuggles into the blanket and closes her eyes, too worn out to fight against it.

She probably will need something to eat too when she wakes, a hot soup to help to settle her stomach, and he'll need it too, but the sandwiches in the basket in his car will work just fine for him.

At least she seems more relaxed as she sleeps. It's not like she looks fine, she doesn't - looks pale and weak - but still, it gives Robin the assurance to grab her house keys and leave the house just for a minute to get to his car and collect the basket with the food. He'll use this time to eat something and then be completely at her disposal. But first, he needs to order her soup, will not subject her to his failed cooking skills, so he's back to the kitchen a few minutes later, picking up his phone and dialing the number on one of the flyers hanging on the fridge.

"Granny's diner, how can I help you?" he hears on the other end of the line, a young female voice clearly trained for that.

"Hi, I would like to order a soup, please," Robin answers, shifting his eyes towards the basket with his food and frowning, "And fries."

If he'll order food, at least he can improve his lunch. How did he forget to pack fries to eat with their sandwiches?

He waits in silence as the woman probably takes note of his order, and then she's asking, "What it's the address?"

Great, he forgot about that too.

"Give me a minute, please," he asks, feeling really dumb as he searches in his texts for the address Sidney had sent to him. Well, he doesn't really have to know her address by heart, "108 Mifflin Street."

"Regina's house?" the woman asks, taking Robin by surprise as she explains she knows Regina very well, they have a strong bond and she just didn't think she would see the day a man would order food to Regina's house again.

Well, that's odd, did she really think...

"Oh, no, it's not that-"

"It will be half an hour," she interrupts, doesn't even give him time to finish to explain as she continues, "Just in case you want to... you know, finish what you were doing."

Is she serious? Is she really implying that he and Regina...

He shakes his head at that, forces himself to suppress a laugh as he replies, "Alright, thank you."

He hangs up the call, walks back to the living room to peek at Regina, only to find her still deeply asleep on the couch. The blanket is falling off her body to the floor, the robe still wrapped around her body, and she looks less pale, her cheeks with a bit more of color than they were before, and this is better, as long as she's not warm due to the fever. So Robin crouches beside her and checks her forehead to make sure she's not getting worse, and he almost sighs in relief to feel her cool to his touch.

"Now that you're feeling better, you'll have to talk to the girl on the phone," he murmurs, smiling and caressing her hair, even if he knows she's not aware of his touches, or of he's telling her right now, but this soothes him as well, reminds him of their old days as best friends.

It almost seems they hadn't been apart for ten years, and he wished that was true. It had been so painful, seeing her every day and not be able to talk to her, and then she just disappeared, of the college, of his life, and he couldn't do anything.

He pushes those thoughts away from his head when she stirs in her sleep, stopping his caresses and putting some distance between them to pull the blanket over her waist once again. He doesn't want to wake her, not until their lunch arrives at least, so he walks back to pick the basket, sets the table for him in the living room and waits for the doorbell to ring and announce their food had arrived.

###

She hasn't slept so peacefully in a long time, not even when she had accepted Daniel's death, or when Henry had insisted on taking care of her the last time she'd been sick. It had been after Daniel's accident and Henry was eight at the time - Dylan was months old - and without her baby's father, she knew she needed to get on with her life, so she couldn't really let Henry take care of her, she didn't even have the time.

But today it's different.

Today, she has Emma taking care of the boys, has enough time to rest if that's what she needs, and has her client taking care of her, choosing to switch their meeting for an afternoon when she can just sleep on the couch. And it just feels... good, actually. It's pleasant to know someone is taking care of her.

She opens her eyes when she hears him on the other side of the room. He had set the table for him - has a picnic basket on top of it and she wonders from where that came from - and he's munching on some fries while he keeps pacing between the kitchen and the living room.

It's annoying and comforting at the same time. Annoying because his footsteps can be heard in the silence of her house and he's incapable of stay still, but comforting because it gives her a sense of security, knowing he's here if she needs him. _Not need him_ , she scolds herself, _need something. He's here if she needs something._

"Sorry, I didn't want to wake you," she notices him standing by the table, and she manages a smile at him, small but genuine, as she tries to straight her posture so she wasn't lying down anymore.

"I'm hungry," she makes a movement to peek at the table, just like her ten-year-old every time he tries to take a look at the dinner when she's cooking, and she spots the package with the fries over the tablecloth, causing her to grimace and her stomach to protest at the sight of it. Not the best option for someone who'd been throwing up an hour ago. She'd think that, as a father, he'll know what to give to someone who's sick.

But what is she thinking? He doesn't have to give her anything, or order lunch, or take care of her. He's doing her a favor - it's being kind of successful at it - but she should be grateful no matter what.

"You don't like my choice?" he teases, and she shrugs, answering him with a grimace, one more time, that makes him chuckle slightly at her reaction, "Good, because I just ordered one of fries."

"You're lunching fries?" she raises a brow at him, thinking that he's just as bad feeding himself as he's to order food for other people. He has to put more effort in that if he wants to teach his son how to eat healthily, and that's important, otherwise he'll end up with a fast food addicted, "I can cook something quick if you-"

"Regina, I'm kidding," he stops her before she could leave the couch to head to the kitchen, and at least that assures him that she's feeling better. That, or she's just a really good host, "Don't move," and then he's walking away from her, leaving her with a puzzled look on her face. She looks at the fries, a smile appearing on her lips as she shakes her head. He's crazy, and he didn't change one bit.

It's just a matter of time until he returns with a tray in his hands and a bowl placed over it. He hands her both and remains standing in front of her, his arms crossed in front of his chest as he waits for her to approve his choice.

"Did you really think I would serve you fries?" he asks, glancing at his lunch over the table while she tries the soup in front of her. It's warm, and tasty, and she recognizes Granny's soup everywhere, makes her want to kiss him (if it wasn't so inappropriate, she'd tell him just that) for order it from the old lady's diner. It's her favorite.

So she gives him a look as an answer before thanking him for the food, and sends him to eat his lunch too, telling him that the fries shouldn't be eaten cold. It's true, it's horrible, and she's feeling a little too comfortable in his presence so she doesn't stop herself from teasing him... or ogling him when he turns around and makes his way to his seat at the table.

She has to force herself to stop when he sits facing her, his lips curving into a smile when he addresses her one more time, "That soup has a funny story behind it, actually."

She stops to eat for a moment at his statement, a wave of concern suddenly keeping her from enjoying the food, but he said it was funny, right? How bad can be?

"Really?" she asks, and he nods, swallows his food before answering her.

"I called to order the food and a girl answered the phone."

Regina stops her action one more time when she hears his words, she's already picturing where this is going. Ruby. She's sure it's something about her, she's already feeling embarrassed for whatever she may have told him, "Oh no, I'm sorry, she can be... inadequate sometimes."

He takes another bite of his sandwich, watches as Regina seems so uncomfortable with that, so he tries to soothe her, "She's pretty funny, actually. In fact, I'm pretty sure she was implying we're sleeping together."

"She what?" she almost chokes on the soup, jumping on her seat and exhale heavily when the sudden movement makes a wave of nausea to cross her body. That girl has no boundaries, doesn't know when to stop, and by now, Granny already thinks she had replaced Daniel in a heartbeat. It's really an awkward situation and not just because the old lady is Daniel's grandmother, but because Regina doesn't want Ruby talking about her private life. It was one thing when it came to Daniel, he was her cousin, but Robin is nothing to her, not to mention he's Regina's client (and Henry's father) and it can be really bad if this starts to spread among the town, "I'll murder that girl."

"Am I that bad that you want to murder a waitress who came up with a rumor about us?" he teases, wiping his mouth on the napkin. But Regina is not in the mood for jokes, this is a lot worse than he thinks and she doesn't make any effort to hide her worries. She places the bowl with the soup on the coffee table in front of her - incapable of continuing to eat when by now the whole diner thinks she has a relationship with Robin - and sighs heavily, drawing Robin's attention with that.

"It's way more complicated than that. It's a long story."

She spots the guilt in his face as he stands from his seat at the table, walking towards her and occupying the spot on the couch beside Regina. He has no idea what's bothering her, and she just hopes he doesn't ask - the last thing she needs is to talk about Daniel with Robin of all people - so she freezes when he places his hand above hers on her lap, locking his eyes with her in a manner that it shouldn't be comforting at all. But it is. And it makes her want to share everything with the man in front of her, even when she knows that she can't really do that.

"Regina do you want-"

"I want to change the subject," she interrupts, shifting her gaze to their joined hands on her lap, but not removing hers from his grip. He seems surprised with that, they won't have such a close relationship that makes this whole thing seem so normal, but he's glad she's not trying to push him away again, glad that she seems to find this gesture as comfortable as him.

"Alright," he agrees, his hand squeezing hers at the same time he arches his brow, "So... who's this Sidney who called me?"

"Is a coworker," she answers immediately as if she's trying to keep him from thinking differently. She doesn't know why she needs Robin to understand that Sidney is just someone from her workplace, but she needs, even if this is completely ridiculous and childish, "And a friend."

"Oh," he draws his hand back as an instinct, the loss making her reach for the bowl with the soup one more time to keep it warm, even if she knows she won't finish the meal.

"Is that a problem?"

"What? No," he trips over the words, making her chuckle, a genuine and harmless laugh that it's not meant to make fun of him. She just really thinks adorable when he looks so flustered, his cheeks red and his several attempts to remedy the situation, "Why would it be?"

"Robin, I'm kidding, I'm not implying anything."

But she is. She thinks he's jealous. Not jealous that makes him angry, but the type of jealous that makes him want to be named as a 'friend' as well, makes him want to reach that level of relationship with her one more time, and she knows they are not there yet, there are a lot more things to solve between them and things that can't be mentioned at all, so she doesn't even know if they will be capable of reaching that terms, and that remembers that he's here for a reason, they have work to do, and since he entered her house they didn't bring up the custody subject. That is exactly what they should be talking about, not about Sidney or their relationship.

"I think we should talk about the petition, what do you say?" she asks, it's not really a question, but she needs to use her skills to change the topic before this becomes embarrassing for any of them.

He relaxes visibly, offers her a small smile and a nod in agreement, but her health is more important, and a few hours ago, she was throwing up everything she tried to put in her stomach, so he asks,"Are you feeling better?"

"Yes," she assures, and he nods one more time, looking around to find where he'd left the papers. The kitchen, he'd followed her there before she'd run towards the bathroom.

"I'll get the folder, " he offers, collecting her bowl to leave it in the kitchen as he searches for the papers.

She hears him at the sink, water running and probably doing her dishes, and he shouldn't have to do that, shouldn't even have to be taking care of her in the first place, but at the same time, she's so grateful he's helping her right now, especially allowing her to talk to him and get this thing about the petition done so they can start the custody process.

He's back a few minutes later, petition in hand, and she thanks him for the help before he hands her the papers and entertains himself cleaning the mess at the table in the living room while she reads the document.

###

He carries the trash from his lunch to the kitchen, and grimaces. The room is not as tidy as Regina would like. He'd done the dishes, but there are still empty packages above the counter, and the dumpster could use a cleaning. And she's still reading, eyes focused on the paper and black glasses on her nose, when he peeks into the living room. So maybe he has time.

It's three in the afternoon, they had eaten already, and after a well-deserved nap, Regina is feeling better again. Not so pale anymore, and more rested.

And they just have to talk about the custody, and then he'll get out of her hair. Will call Roland and see how his son is doing. He hasn't seen him for two days, and that's a lifetime for both of them, at least it is for Robin. It's so hard to get home to an emptiness.

Of course, he knows that, when it's the other way around, it's difficult for Marian too, something he's sure she doesn't feel the same way about Robin. He calls her every day when Roland is with him so she can talk to their son, and she doesn't care about that, doesn't care to do the same, even if it's for their son's sake. Roland gets so happy just to hear his parents' voice on the other end. He likes to wish a good-night, likes to tell Robin about his day at the daycare. And that's something Robin likes to hear him telling too, the little boy gets so excited with the new things he learns each day at school.

And that's one of the main reasons he chose to ask for the full custody, because he knows what Roland needs. What he needs is to be in touch with both parents and, if it's like this now that none of them has the full custody, Robin doesn't want to imagine how it will be if Marian wins. He won't talk to his son as often as he'd like, that's for sure.

"You changed your mind," he hears from the living room, Regina's eyes searching for his when he returns to the room to answer her.

He nods, taking the seat beside her - she seems confused, almost heartbroken to find what he'd actually chosen for his son - so he apologizes with his eyes at her accusatory tone.

She doesn't agree with him. He already knew that before she sighs at the paper, her expression clearly showing her uncertainty as she asks, "What made you decide for the full custody?"

He just hopes she doesn't judge him for his choice, and she doesn't seem to do that, but he can't really bear if he gets to disappoint her again, not that this has to do with Regina, "I won't keep him from being with his mother."

The brunette nods, setting down the papers and focusing her attention completely on him. She doesn't even try to make him feel better about the whole situation, but that's not her job, after all. This whole distance makes him partly regret his decision.

"I couldn't risk losing him for good," he explains, and he finally thinks he'd spotted a bit of Regina's compassion for him about this issue. She has a kid, she knows what he's feeling - or maybe she knows Marian's side and is trapped in the middle, "I want the full custody so Roland doesn't stop seeing both of us. I know if she wins, we won't have a proper schedule for our son, but I'll make sure that happens, nothing will completely change for him, it'll be just... more organized."

"I understand," Regina replies, shrugging and sighing one more time in response. She could be a little clearer at this point.

"What do you want me to do? Do nothing while she gets my son's custody?"

He regrets the way he replied to her as soon as the words are out of his mouth, but it's the truth. He'll not sit back and watch as all his rights as Roland's father are taken away from him. It's for the best, and he's sure of that. Regina may not see that right now, but she'll have the confirmation when everything happens. For better or for worse, but he'd prefer that it was for the better.

"I believe you, Robin, I just know this type of situations and it's difficult to 'push away' the child from his mother. I don't know if what you're asking in this petition will help you," she explains, placing the papers on the coffee table. It's not worthy to be staring at it, he won't change his opinion.

"So what you're saying," Robin starts, "That it's easy to take him away from his father."

Regina's hands play with the pillow in her lap, a desperate attempt to have something else to focus her attention to, "Is easier, yes."

Robin sighs deeply at her response - this is so stupid, what if the father is the best option? - and then replies, "I'm sorry, but I won't change my mind."

He spots how Regina is standing behind at this idea, but it's settled. If Marian can play this way, he can too. Especially when he knows he will do the best thing for Roland. He has nothing to fear. The idea of losing his son is a really scary one, but it's even worse if he loses without having fought for what he really believed, "And, please, don't worry, Regina, I won't blame you for whatever happens."

His hand moves to reach for hers, right there beside him, but he stops himself immediately, drawing his hand back and placing it in his lap.

"I promise to do my best."

"I know yo-"

Their talk is interrupted when his phone rings in his pocket, Marian's face popping up on the screen and making Robin think that it's too early in the day, this can't be good for him. He frowns at the options, it can be her asking him to pick up Roland (again) or maybe something happened to his son. Neither of the two is good.

"Yes?" he answers, and his face lightens up at the sweet voice on the other end, his worries completely forgotten when he realizes that it's Roland calling and not to give him bad news, it seems. He's talking hurriedly, telling Robin about his day, "Slow down, little man, I don't understand a thing."

'Roland?' Regina gestures with her mouth, smiling when Robin confirms her suspicions.

"So you had lunch with mama?" Robin asks, trying to get something of what his son is trying to tell him, "And a friend?"

So apparently, Marian had picked him up before lunch and had taken him to eat with a friend. Not sure if it's Roland's or Marian's, but it's not his business anyway, so he doesn't push it. Besides, Roland is already up ahead, asking him what Robin did during the day, "I had lunch with a friend too," he glances towards Regina, who widens her eyes at him for his mention of her to his four-year-old. He should know already this will find its way to Marian and she doesn't need more rumors about them, "About work. It's kind of boring, actually."

"Thanks a lot," she whispers, a grin appearing on her lips, and he shakes his head at her before focuses his attention on his conversation with his son.

Roland is asking him about this 'friend' of him, and since the boy seems decided to keep with this issue about Regina, Robin puts him on the speaker to, at least, doesn't look like he's talking about her with his son. Well, he is, but it's not him who is pushing the issue, who is clearly curious to know who this friend of his father is.

"Can I meet your friend, papa, like I met mama's?"

So it was Marian's friend.

Regina's eyes widen at the boy's question, and Robin watches as she seems reluctant to answer, not wanting to say no, but not completely comfortable to say yes either, so he takes the lead, locks his eyes with Regina's in an apologetic look and answers, "Son, I don't think-"

"It's okay," Regina whispers, and he looks surprised at her, asks if she's sure about what she's saying, "As your lawyer, it can be actually good."

"Papa?"

"Roland," he talks to the phone in his hand, to which he'd diverted his attention from before his son had called him. Apart from the fact that his situation with Regina is not the best one, maybe it can be good for the case. Regina can meet his son and talk directly to him, even if she can't (and of course no one would ever do that) influence him in some way, "Alright, you can meet my friend."

"Really, papa?"

Why is he so happy about this? Robin is glad to see him so excited, but he can't say it's not strange. Not strange considering how Roland likes to meet new people, but he'd never shown so much interest in Robin's friends, maybe this call has something to do with Marian, after all, "Maybe this weekend," he answers, "I have to talk to her first, alright, little man?"

Regina chuckles silently and hears Roland answer him, "Yes, papa, call me when you know the answer," Robin shakes his head, amused at his son's professionalism, that just lasts a second, "I love you."

Robin bites his lip, fighting the tears that prickle the back of his eyes, "I love you too," and then adds, "Be good to mama."

The ' _I will_ ' his son answers him is the last thing he hears before he hangs up the call, right before Regina places her hand on his knee and tells him, "He's adorable."

"He is," Robin agrees, thinking about the turn the whole conversation did, ending up with a meeting between him, his son, and Regina. But why? Why he wants to meet her so bad? Even after he'd told him it was a friend from work, "I'm sorry, I really don't know what's gotten into him to want to meet my friends."

Regina's expression softens, saying genuinely, "It's fine, Robin, he's four and you mentioned me, he probably just got curious," she adds, "But you don't think the same," when Robin doesn't seem very sure about that.

"You're right, I think this has something to do with his mother," he explains, tucking the phone back into his pocket.

"His mother?"

Robin nods, an assertive shake of his head to show he's really convinced about that idea. He doesn't know why Marian has any interest to use Roland as a scapegoat, but what else can be? Roland never asked him about his friends and all of a sudden he wants to meet Regina of all people, this can't be coincidence, "Maybe she knows you're my lawyer and wants to know more than she should."

Robin feels that start of anger beginning to form deep inside him at Marian's curiosity, making him sigh deeply to try to push those thoughts away from his mind. The last thing he needs is Marian snooping into his life, even worse using Roland for that. The kid is quite an actor, mix a little push with the usual curiosity at his son's age and you'll have the perfect ally.

"Robin," Regina draws his attention, "Didn't seem me that way, but we can't forget this meet if yo-"

"No, you said it was good for the case and I promise him he'll meet you," he locks his eyes with her, almost apologizing for his reaction, "If it's okay with you."

They have nothing to hide, but he knows it can be uncomfortable for her. She's already involved in this whole situation - just as Robin's lawyer, of course - but he doesn't want to put her in more situations than the necessary for her work.

Regina, for her part, doesn't seem worried at all, it's just a meet with a four-year-old, what can go wrong? And that just makes Robin feel like a paranoid to think this has something to do with Marian. She probably doesn't care about his life anymore.

"It's fine by me."

"Thank you," Robin replies genuinely, "This apparently means something to him."

* * *

 **So, why Roland wants to meet Regina? Tell me your thoughts.**

 **I hope you liked and good luck for all the OQ fandom for the episode tonight :P**


	6. Chapter 6

**Hi guys, here it is the chapter, I'm so sorry for the delay, but I think this is the longest chapter so far. Anyway, I hope you like it, thanks for all the reviews.**

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Chapter 6.

Regina eats at Granny's that morning, after much insistence from Henry and the realization that she has to have a talk with a certain brunette, something she's not too thrilled to do, since the last thing she wants is to bring up this subject in the middle of a crowded cafe where her sons would be eating breakfast just a few meters away from her.

She had taken the morning off due to her sickness the day before, but she was feeling a lot better today, already feeling like herself again as she walks with the kids down the street (her car is still parked in front of her office), with Dylan in her arms and Henry walking a few steps away from her. It's familiar, comforting.

They love Granny's food - the french toast, the sandwiches, the pancakes - and Regina had been thinking to pay a visit for a while now. She usually orders take out and doesn't have much time to stick around, so today's perfect, and she knows she'd made the right decision when the old lady's smile widens as she sees Regina and her little family walking in.

She heads towards one of the tables near the wall, first, to set her things down and collect her sons' orders (pancakes and milk, the usual, then), sitting Dylan beside Henry and helping him to get rid of his jacket.

"Can you keep an eye on him?" she asks her older son, smiling at his ' _sure_ ' in response, before she walks towards the counter to meet the young brunette at the register.

Ruby. She might kill her, right now.

The waitress hurries to finish the payment of one of the customers, her expression telling Regina she knows very well what's about to happen.

Regina takes the seat across from her friend and sighs, assuring, "I'm not seeing anyone."

Ruby's expression is one of sympathy, her lips tilting in a reassuring smile. She's looking at Regina as if she is some kind of teenager in love, who is too much scared to admit she has a boyfriend, even if that's not the case, at all.

"Why don't you order first? The kids are probably hungry," Ruby's voice is soft, her eyes fixed behind Regina at the two boys, "They are so grown up."

"Milk and pancakes for them, tea for me, please," the older brunette glances over her shoulder, at the same image of her sons, to make sure they are fine alone at the table, "But please, Ruby, I need to talk to you."

The waitress nods her head, strongly, "Of course, I'll be right back, let me just order for your boys."

Regina brings her hands to her face and wonders how she should handle this talk, always thinking about her situation with Robin and the fact that he's Henry's father. She was so dumb for letting him get so close, taking care of her when she's sick and ordering her food, and now she has Ruby making assumptions about her love life. It's so ridiculous, just really absurd to think Regina would be able to forget Daniel so soon, after everything he'd done for her. It's almost unimaginable. And it's even worse because this is not just about Regina, this involves Robin and their families and she doesn't want the town talking about her life.

Ruby's back from the kitchen moments later, gesturing for the brunette to sit with her at the end of the counter (it's more quiet and Regina can still watch her sons from there), and tells her, "I know what you want to talk about and you don't need to explain anything."

It's true, she doesn't, but it's in her best interest to do so, and that's one of the reasons she'd agreed to eat the breakfast in the diner. Therefore, she shakes her head and locks her eyes with her friend's, hers showing she's not too pleased with what happened the day before on the phone.

"Yes, I... I'm not really seeing anyone, Ruby," she sighs, almost desperate to make her believe what she's saying. She couldn't be more sincere, and she never bothered to finish with rumors about herself, this one is just... too complicated.

"Nobody is blaming you, Regina," Ruby assures, "You can have a relationship when and with whom you want."

Not with Robin, no. Regina's hands rise to her face, "He's my client, I was sick, and he met me at my house to talk about his case... I loved... love Daniel, I wouldn't be able to start a relationship so soon."

She's looking at the waitress with the same face Henry looks at her when he's trying to explain his point, and that should be enough, why would she bother if this was a lie?

"Ruby, can you help Henry and Dylan with the breakfast?" Granny interrupts, shoving the tray with the food into her granddaughter's hands and waiting as she is out of earshot. Great, Granny knows about this and will give her a lecture, and no matter how comfortable she feels with Daniel's grandmother to talk about many things, this is not one of them, not in the slightest, "Don't pay attention to Ruby. She can be a big mouth sometimes, but she's just happy for you at the possibility, you know, fall in love again."

She stares dumbly at the old lady, and shakes her head again, assuring, "Granny, I didn't 'fall in love', he's my client."

Granny nods, reaches for her hand, and Regina feels her her stomach clench at the movement - it almost seems she needs to be comforted. She doesn't, she's not a young girl who needs advice on her love life, she doesn't even have a love life, so they shouldn't be having this conversation in the first place.

"For now," the old lady points out, "You're amazing, honey, don't deprive yourself of love again. Daniel would want you to be happy, and those kids to have a father."

"Daniel is their father," Regina replies quickly, "And I'm capable of raising them by myself."

"I don't doubt that," Granny quickly assures, so there's no chance for her to think she doesn't believe in her capabilities as a mother, and Regina's lips tilt up at the comment, thanking her, "But my great-grandchildren deserve a father, right?"

Her smile widens at that, at the term, her heart melting at the thought that they actually have a bigger family than they think. She can't really count on her mother, and Daniel had been raised by Granny, so they'd never met his parents, but they have her, Ruby, even Emma, and their great-grandmother. It's not so bad, right?

"I think they have love to spare."

"Love is never too much," the old lady replies, the hint in her voice caught by Regina, "That applies to you too."

"Yes, well, I think we're good for now."

Granny pats her hand, releases her from her grip, and nods, "I'm glad you're happy."

For the first time since Daniel's death, Regina realizes that _she's_ happy, she has a good life with her sons, surrounded by their friends, "I am," she tells her, a wide smile on her face, "And, if you don't mind, I should return to my boys."

Granny walks behind the counter, tells her, "Think about our talk."

"I will," the brunette assures, thanking her for everything, especially for being able to ease her worries when it comes to that part of her life again, the part when she'll have to push away her regrets if she falls in love again someday, not now, not with Robin, she assures herself, but it may happen sooner or later, and deep down she knows she's the one standing in her own way.

And then she leaves, returns to her boys since they are the only two men she wants in her life right now.

###

She walks back towards their table, decided to free Ruby from babysitting when she has her actual job to do, and the conversation replays in her head over and over again, keeping her from enjoying properly her breakfast with the kids. She promised Granny she'd think about it, but she never thought it would be like this (it's actually consuming her thoughts and keeping her from thinking about anything else), and she hates it, wants to be able to answer Henry truthfully instead of the automatic nod of her head every time the boy tells her about something new.

She helps Dylan with the milk, in an attempt to entertain herself and because she's still waiting for her tea (she doesn't blame Granny after she'd spent her time talking to her), and because the baby is still learning how to use a mug without messing everything around. Henry's far more ahead, the mug empty and with just a piece of pancake in the plate, but well, he's ten and since she's sure Dylan won't finish his pancake, she offers him the other half to which he accepts gladly.

She really needs her tea, to ease her mind (and her stomach, which she's sure it will start to protest if she doesn't eat something in the next five minutes).

Ruby is back moments later with the much-desired tea. Regina hands the waitress Dylan's mug so he can't start playing with the cup and ends up breaking it, and wipes his mouth with a napkin before sitting him beside her at the table. He entertains himself with Regina's phone, touching everywhere to try to bring it to life, but thankfully it's locked, otherwise she'd end up with a bunch of calls made to half of her contact list. It had happened one time, she knows better than fall for that again.

"Here's the tea. I'm sorry, Granny... fell behind with this one," the waitress explains as she places the mug in front of the brunette.

She never thought she'd be so glad for having tea for breakfast, she's more of a coffee person, but it's hot and soothing, and provides her a warm feeling in her belly, which is still protesting from the nausea the day before. She sips the hot beverage and sighs, almost in relief for having something filling her stomach, and she doesn't even notice the smile on Henry's face when the bell at the front door rings.

"Good morning."

She jumps at Emma's voice, placing the mug on the table before turning to look at her. She seems tired, in a rush, and she wraps her arms around Henry when the boy leaves his seat to greet their friend with a hug.

"Hi," Regina replies, "What are you doing here?"

"Picking up your kids to drop them at school," the blonde smiles, winking at Henry and stealing a piece of pancake from his plate.

The boy nods eagerly, enthusiastically, and leaves Emma's embrace to sit beside Regina, begging her to let him go with their friend, "Please, mom, you don't have your car and I don't want to walk there."

"And whose fault is that?" she addresses Emma, arching her brow and grabbing her mug one more time. It was Emma who insisted on driving her home the day before when she was sure she could do that herself. She wasn't dying, and the proof of that is that she's here today, eating her breakfast with her kids, or trying to, at least, "Walk is good," she shrugs, and sips her tea again, conscious of the defeated look on Henry's face, "Besides, your school is a block away, why are you complaining?"

"Because I want to go with Emma," he rolls his eyes, "Please, mom, you'll pick me up later and we'll have to walk home."

Regina chuckles at his response, aware that he knows by the time she'll pick him up, she'll have her car with her already. It's not that she doesn't want to let them go with Emma, but she had them the whole afternoon (and dinner) the day before, and Regina doesn't want to bother her even more when they are pretty capable of walking to get to school. And she likes to spend time with them. The mornings are always chaotic, she wants to enjoy this one, since today they have a little bit more time to be together.

But Emma went out of her way to pick them at the diner. How she found out they were here, Regina has no idea, but she's here now, probably waiting for an answer and getting late for work.

If she's really here to take them, then maybe she should reconsider and not waste more time, it's just making everyone getting late.

"Are you sure you don't mind?" she asks, watching from the corner of her eye her son's smile.

"I'm here, right?" Emma jokes, stretching her arms out to Dylan to pick him up before she tells Henry to hurry up if he wants the ride.

###

She sees him entering the diner when she's just finishing her first cup of tea (first, because Ruby had left her at the table with a full teapot, enough to fill, at least, three cups of the same beverage), the bell at the front door announcing his arrival with a high-pitched jingle.

Regina's stomach turns at the sight of him, of the dimples showing in his smile when he spots her seated at one of the tables, and she really should finish her tea and go to work, or home, wherever she prefers as long as he is not there. She has to keep their meetings strictly professional, and have them only when necessary - her sickness the day before had led them to get too close and Ruby's rumour doesn't help at all - so she has to remedy the situation, put some distance between them and will not cancel the meeting with his son just because the boy doesn't have any fault, besides, it can be good for the case, she'll give him that.

So when she sees him approaching her, she doesn't react, doesn't gesture or invites him to sit, no, just waits as he stops beside her.

"Good morning."

"Hi," she keeps it short, his eyes shifting between Regina and the seat across from her, a clear hint that he's just waiting for her invitation to sit and maybe start the day with a meeting at the breakfast and, well, she wasn't expecting that, but her mother always told her she should be polite and keep him standing as he talks to her is not in the list of good behaviour, "Do you want to sit?" Robin gives her a grateful nod and smiles at her offer, taking the seat in front of her as she just watches him getting settled. He looks... pretty handsome today, in a dark-grey suit and a blue tie, which just contributes to highlight even more his eyes. She has to clear her throat before she manages to address him one more time, "Formal day at the office?"

"More the day I have to be especially well dressed to impress some penguins in a suit in order to ensure the success of the company," he explains, his hands reaching for the menu over the table. Something about the image of him as a businessman makes Regina's breath get caught in her throat and she finds herself having anything but proper thoughts about it. Maybe this is just because she can't remember the last time she'd been with someone that way. The last time had been with Daniel, of course, and he'd died a year ago already.

She has just been playing the single mother role since then (not really paying attention to herself, but every mother knows her children come first - not the social or love life), and she can't say it wasn't a successful way to escape from the grim reality, taking care of her sons definitely help. They're her whole world, and what connect her to her past love life - with some memories better than others, but they're not the bad ones, not at all.

Henry's pregnancy may have been a tough and surprising one, but it had also been the most rewarding experience of her life, not that Dylan's has not been special too, but she had Daniel to help her at the time, and with Henry she'd been completely alone, starting her adult life on her own without having completed college. It was tough, exhausting, but it made her the woman she's today. She had ended up finishing college years after, so today she can say she has a successful job, two wonderful boys, a good house to raise them, a good life... It's just missing a relationship, but she can't really think about that right now.

Granny had made her see that, yes. But why she needs a man if she feels completely fulfilled? Her sons seem well too, and she can even admit she thought about having a real relationship sometimes, but it's not in her cards, or if it's meant to be, it'll.

"Regina?" she hears Robin's voice, waving his hand in front of her face with a smirk on his lips, "I was asking if you're feeling better?"

She shakes her head to focus her attention back at him, apologizing for her reverie and for letting him talking with himself. What was she thinking? Being with Robin brings back this kind of thoughts.

"Yes, thank you," she rises from her seat, trying to get a way out of this, "I was just finishing breakfast, but I'll pay at the counter and you can have the table."

Robin frowns at that, standing up too, "Regina, you don't have to leave because of me," and at the moment, they are both standing and staring at each other, and have already caught Ruby's attention in the process, staring at them with a knowing smile on her face.

It couldn't be more awkward, her friend is already marrying them in her head, at the same time Regina is trying, and failing miserably, to escape from this. She couldn't feel more embarrassed, and guilty, Robin had been no more than nice for her since she discovered he was her client, and she's being a child, trying to run away just because Ruby assumed they were sleeping together - and because those same thoughts crossed her mind when she saw him wearing a suit. She's probably... tired with the sickness she fought the day before.

"I'm sorry," she sighs, letting herself fall to her seat once again, Robin doing the same, "I..."

"Regina, love," he tries to make her look at him, but she keeps avoiding the eye contact, flinching at the way he addresses her, "If something is bothering you... I know I'm not your first choice, but you can talk to me."

She nods her head slowly, carefully, her gaze shifting to look at him. He's smiling, reassuring and comforting, and she relaxes visibly, leans against the back of her seat as she fills her mug with more tea - it seems she won't get out of there so soon.

"I was just... freaking out because Ruby is staring at us since you got here," she wraps her hands around the mug, failing to see when Robin glances at the waitress on the other side of the counter. It's not really a lie, it's half-true, but she won't admit to him that seeing him dressed in that suit makes her think of him doing... another kind of business. "I know it's ridiculous."

Robin shakes his head, assures, "It's not. Although I won't say it doesn't hurt that you don't want to be seen in my company."

"Robin, it's not that," she widens her eyes, but he's already laughing at her reaction, causing the corners of her lips to tilt up too. What is with this man that always makes her smile? With just those dimples and those blue eyes. From the way he shrugs and shakes his head, she can see that it's not something he can control, he likes to make her feel better, "I won't bother since you're just making fun of me."

It made her smile, so it's worth it.

"You know me," he dismisses, "And forgive me for sneak up on your territory, but I had to know the place where they cook those delicious fries."

Regina lets out a sound in agreement, thinks about the meals Granny usually cooks for her and the kids, and usually, they are more than delicious, they are healthy too.

"Granny's food is really good," she says, lips curving at the idea that crosses her mind. They still have to talk about the meeting where she'll meet his son, and it's only Thursday, but Regina needs to know for sure if it's still standing, to talk to Emma and know if she's available to watch the boys, "What if I just ask her to cook something for Saturday?" she asks, without giving him the time to answer, "You can take Roland to the park and I'll meet you there later and take the food."

"My son invited you, so I'll take care of that," he tells her, gesturing to the waitress and pointing to the image of a plate of waffles in one of the posters to let her know what he'll have for breakfast, "But maybe I'll steal your idea and order from here. And the park is actually a good one too."

"Really?" she raises her brow, provocatively, "I never took you for a thief."

"A thief with honor," he teases, smirking, "And if you don't mind your child to meet such bad influences, feel free to bring your lad, I'm sure Roland would be thrilled to have someone to play with."

She remains silent for a moment, thinking about what that would mean in practice. She knows Robin knows about Dylan, but if she takes him, she'll have to take Henry, and if she takes Henry... Oh, god, this is a bad idea, she'll meet his brother and she won't be able to tell him about him. She didn't think about that. It's terrible. Sad, even, "I'm afraid he'll have to skip it, he's not with me this Saturday."

It's not really a lie. He'll be with Emma - because of this whole situation, but Robin doesn't have to know that.

"Oh, it's alright, I'm sure there'll be more opportunities."

He's trying to sound hopeful and reassuring - and she feels guilty because, apparently, he's thinking that she'd gone through a situation like his, a divorce or a separation, where she has to share her time with her sons with an ex-husband. And he couldn't be more wrong. She'd actually prefer that than the real situation, but it's not something that she can do much about, in fact, she can't do anything.

Her heart breaks at his words because she knows that there will be no more opportunities. Dylan can't meet Roland and she won't have any more playdates with Robin's son. It's wrong. But despite that she knows that, she doesn't tell him, she tells him what she knows he wants to hear, "Of course."

And there's that silence, again, eyes locked on each other's, his teeth trapping his lower lip, and the movement draws her to him, to his smile, to his... everything. She really didn't need this right now, didn't need the reminder of the time when they would look at each other like this, without shyness or any restraints. She'd looked at him this same way once, when she'd faced him after they'd slept together and he was already deep asleep. He wasn't even staring back at her, but she'd felt so good, so safe after their first time. And right now she's feeling the same because she almost can hear, in his words, his promise that he won't go anywhere. 'More opportunities' sound hopeful to her.

"Ahem... waffles?" Ruby interrupts their moment, looking between Robin and Regina and placing the plate with the meal over the table with a loud thud, "You ordered it, right?"

They both come to her senses, realizing they were completely ignoring the young brunette, who crosses her arms in front of her chest and raises an eyebrow to Regina.

"Yes, I'm sorry," Robin replies, pulling the plate closer, "Thank you."

Ruby smiles shamelessly at that, winking at her friend before retreating to the counter and making Regina's cheeks turn a shade of red.

"God," she mutters, sipping one more time at her tea, at the same time she reaches for her purse, "This is my cue to leave, I still have to walk to work and get there on time."

She explains to him that she doesn't have her car, that is still parked in front of her office since the day before, and he shakes his head, swallows the piece of waffle in his mouth before he offers, "If you can wait for me to finish, I can drive you there," drawing her attention with that.

It's probably a bad idea. Being trapped inside a car with Robin. But she doesn't have any excuse to refuse. Walking would take a lot more time to get to her workplace and she could use a ride.

"Are you sure you won't get late to your fancy meeting?" she teases, remembering why he's dressed in the suit, "I can walk you know."

Robin scoffs at that, shrugs his shoulders, "They can wait," and something in his tone makes her believe in him. Makes her feel a lot more important than any businessman he'll have to convince with a reason for his delay.

###

When he offered to drive Regina to work, Robin was not really expecting her to accept.

It was a nice gesture, an outcome of his good education, but he didn't expect her to actually say yes. He had thought she was trying to get rid of him, judging by the way she grabbed her bag and finished what was left of her tea in one sip, not to mention how she looked embarrassed with their situation when Ruby had walked to their table to serve the waffles. But she'd actually accepted, asked him if he was sure this wouldn't get him late... well, even if this would make him drive to the other side of the town, he would tell her that no, he can drive her without a problem.

What's so special about this woman that has him wanting to do everything he possibly can to help her?

He knows this is a huge step in their relationship. Usually, he drives his friends, his colleagues, and she's neither of those things. She's his lawyer, is working for him, not trying to remedy what happened ten years ago. But the truth is, she's probably the best thing that happened in his life in the last few days - since he divorced Marian actually. His life is mostly about work and taking care of Roland (when he's lucky enough to have him with him), but now it had changed completely, had turned a lot more interested, excited, nice. It had been tough at the beginning when he had to look for a house for him and for his son, but now that everything was settled, it had begun to get better.

And then she showed up, turning his world upside down with her beautiful smile and even more charming personality.

And it's just that beautiful smile that has him taking longer to finish his breakfast as his eyes keep glancing at her every time her lips touch the rim of the mug to sip her tea. He wipes his mouth with the napkin, reaches for the wallet inside the pocket of his jacket, and is completely taken by surprise when Regina stops his movements, placing a hand on his arm and arguing that she'll ask Ruby to put everything on her tab.

"You'll drive me to work, is the least I can do," she tells him when he's about to protest, changing for a serious look as she continues, "And don't argue with me, It's not worth it."

And he knows that, knows since the moment he met her in college (when he tried to offer her a tour of the campus and she'd told him she could handle that herself) that when she's decided about something, she won't change her mind. And he can't stop himself from smiling. He keeps remembering that moment like it was yesterday, when she bumped into him on one of the hallways because she was looking for the right classroom instead of paying attention to where she was going, but he hadn't been upset at all, quite the opposite, in fact, every day he thanks everything to have had the opportunity to meet this woman, who weeks later had become his best friend.

He finds Regina talking to the waitress at the counter when he comes back to his senses, and realizes that she probably got tired of waiting for his answer and had left to meet Ruby while he was daydreaming about their first meet. He'll make it up to her another time, he'll make sure of that, but for now he'll let her have her own way.

"Ready?" he asks when he sees her returning to their table, and Robin stands from his seat, waiting as she wraps her coat around her body before he places his hand on her lower back to guide her down the sidewalk and towards his car.

"I'll give you the directions as you drive," Regina offers, her every movement to fasten the seat belt and get settled beside Robin drawing his attention and distracting him from his real task, give her a ride. Robin can feel that pleasant sensation of being able to share these simple moments with somebody again, have someone to eat breakfast with, or someone to drive to work in the mornings, adding to the excitement of drop his son in the daycare. It's different, but it feels good, especially when, usually, he does all this by himself, more often than not because Roland doesn't spend that much time with him. That's something Robin is starting to get used to it by now, even if it's kind of sad.

But it's the reality, and he can't really do much about it.

"You know what a GPS is, right?" he teases, handing her his phone at the same time he gets settled as well. While he seems ready to finally start the car, she moves to grab the device, and Robin feels that tingling sensation as her fingers brush his, making him force himself to bring his hand back on the steering wheel and focus his attention on the task at hand. Right, he has offered to drive her to work, not to get lost in his thoughts and make her be late, "Just type the address there, he'll do the rest."

"I know what a GPS is," she scoffs, doing as he asks and typing the address of her workplace on the screen. Robin had already removed the car from the park and is driving slowly down the street, but she knows he's just waiting for her to place the device in its proper place so he can check the best route. For a moment, she wished she could just take the whole day off, as lazy as it seems, but she has Robin's petition to work on and she had already wasted the whole afternoon the day before, due to her sickness.

"Thank you... for the company at breakfast," Robin breaks the silence, eyes still focused on the road as he drives.

Regina's lips tilt up in a smile, and she struggles between glancing at him and probably draw his attention from what he's doing, or just keeping her posture and play with her own hands on her lap to keep herself entertained. She chooses for the last, it seems, keeps it silent even if she knows this was his best attempt to start a conversation.

A simple "Thank you," is what she offers him back, and then she adds, "For the ride to work."

"It's really nothing, you just have to ask," Robin dismisses.

But Regina won't have any of that, shakes her head and argues, "It's nice, I can count on one hand the number of people who would get out of their way to help another."

Robin thinks for a moment if she really doesn't have anyone else who would do this for her - she has Emma, and maybe Sidney (since he seems to have a crush on her) - and then he turns on the radio (nothing too loud, just enough to wrap them in soft music), to avoid the uncomfortable silence.

But when he stops the car due to a red light with a questioning look on his face and turns to look at her, he can't help himself as he tells her, "Regina, I want you to know... you can ask me anything."

There's a moment when she just stares at him, lost for words, and Robin doesn't know if he'd crossed the line. He was only trying to make her see that she can trust him and rely on his help every time she needs, but he probably should've put it another way, to avoid making her uncomfortable.

"I'm sorry, I didn't want to... sorry," he tells her, Regina's shy smile making him feel a lot more comfortable about the situation as he replies her with a smile of his own. Their relationship is not the clearest, far from that actually, but if he wants to remedy their situation, he has to make her see he has changed and is trying to break through the wall she built around her when it comes to him.

One he's decided to knock down completely if it's the last thing he does.

"It's okay, it's actually nice to hear that," she assures, taking him completely by surprise with her words. Come to think of it, he'd waited to hear something like this from her since the moment he retrieved the contact, and he can't really say he'd not spent a lot of his free time thinking of it - of what it would feel like when she seemed to trust him again, letting him closer, or how would it be like if she give them another chance, to be friends, of course, "Robin, you should..."

"Oh, shit," he curses when he notices that she's gesturing to the green light that previously was red, causing the cars stopped behind his to start honking and protesting at his delay. Regina is laughing all of a sudden, and it's just then that he notices what he'd said. Great, swearing in front of the lady, classy, "I'm really scoring points, aren't I?"

"I think you're doing great," she teases, her lips tilted up in a smirk as she looks at him.

Robin's eyes are focused on the road one more time, but he's quite aware of her presence beside him at this moment, and he couldn't be gladder, to be able to have back this easy interaction between them. It reminds him of their friendship, ten years ago, and how they were always messing with each other, putting one another in embarrassing situations just to have something to laugh about.

"I'll try to behave," is the best he can promise her.

They keep mostly quiet the rest of the ride, he focuses in drive them to her workplace while she keeps her attention on the people she sees walking down the street - people rushing their kids to school, or just running through the sidewalk to take the bus - and she thinks she could be in that situation right now if it wasn't for Robin to show up at the diner and offer her a ride. He has improved her day, that's for sure. She keeps thinking that she has to do something about their proximity, that this is not the kind of relationship they would have if he was any other client, but Robin is not 'another client', they already knew each other and she's failing completely to ignore that - how would she do that anyway, they had been more than friends at some point.

It's just a matter of minutes before he's parking his car once again, this time in front of her office and in a free spot behind her own vehicle. At least the ride had been quick, and he's already killing the ignition and getting out of the car to open her door, "Milady."

There's a chill running down her spine at the familiar way he addresses her (he used to call her that every time when they were best friends, even teasing her with it when he knew very well she didn't like him calling her that in front of other people), but she chooses to ignore it, knowing that he didn't mean it the same way he used to ten years ago. It was not a term of endearment anymore, it was just something he'd remember and decided to call her in that moment. As much as she'd thought about him calling her that again after all this time, she can't make a big deal out of it. And she won't.

She grabs his hand out of politeness, her mother has always told her she should be grateful, so she accepts his help, getting out of his car and closing the door behind her, "Thank you."

"You're welcome."

There's a comfortable silence as they walk up the staircase, Robin following behind her and taking in his surroundings. The building is located in a nice place- pretty close to the park, so he's almost sure her office overlooks the whole area. It must give her a really nice atmosphere to work.

Maybe he should rethink the location of his own office.

When they reach the front door, she struggles how she should say goodbye to him - she'll probably just thank him again and send him away with a shake of his hand, but Robin has other ideas, grabs her hand once again and brings the back of it to his lips before he addresses her, "So I see you Saturday? Here in the park?"

Regina nods, reaching for the door handle, but she's still gripping his hand, not really willing to let go, "Thank you again, I-"

"You already said that," he teases, his thumb caressing her skin without keeping her from removing her hand from his grasp.

Regina giggles, "I really appreciated the company."

Well, that's entirely different. She liked to spend this time with him, to have breakfast together. His heart beats frantically in his chest, his jaw almost dropping opened if he didn't stop it immediately. It's probably nothing, but it feels good to hear it coming from her, from the woman he thought he wouldn't see anymore.

Robin squeezes her hand before letting her go, reaching for the door instead and opening it for her as he replies, "I appreciated too. Have a good day, Regina."

"You too," she says back, and then she's already walking towards the lift, searching for her keys in her bag in the process.

He waits until the metal doors close behind her, letting him know she's already on her way to another busy day, and leaving Robin with a wide smile on his lips to face his own hectic job.

###

Saturday, the day is warm. The sun is high in the sky, and it doesn't feel a bit of wind trying to chill her bones under her jacket, and it's really pleasant, one of the best days this week. Thank goodness for that because Regina has a meeting today, and it happens to be outdoors, so by the late hours of the morning, she's driving towards Emma's with a thoughtful ten-year-old and a sleepy baby in the back seat.

"Mom, why do you have to work on a Saturday?" Henry asks for the thousandth time that morning, making Regina feel even more guilty for lying to him, "You never work on Saturdays."

She looks through the rearview mirror and sighs, "That's not true, Henry, you know sometimes I have to."

"You shouldn't have to, it's weekend," Henry shrugs, focuses his attention back on the window, his frown resembling hers when she's in the same mood. She hates lying. She'd told Henry she has a meeting (that it's true), but she failed to mention that it was actually a playdate - with his brother of all people. He doesn't have to know, for all intents and purposes, it is a meeting about her work. She keeps telling herself that she'll meet Roland because of Robin's case, because it's good that she knows the child in question, and not because he asked, or because she's at least a bit of curious to meet this little boy. So after Henry agreed with her excuses about this whole thing, she tries to push those thoughts out of her mind, the meeting (or playdate) will not kill anybody, she will just meet Robin's child.

They arrive at Emma's house in no time, it's just a short drive from their place to the blonde's, and she allows Henry to go and ring the doorbell while she releases Dylan from his baby seat. She greets her friend with a thanks for watching the boys, and gives precise instructions that Henry has to finish his homework, otherwise, he'll spend his Sunday doing exactly that when they can enjoy the next day together.

She feels a bit guilty for ruining their weekend, not really ruin, but she knows it's not what Henry was expecting, but he likes to be with Emma, and she's sure they always have a good time. So she leaves both her boys with a kiss in their foreheads and tells them to be good for the blonde before she makes her way towards the park. It's practically empty, the families with the children usually arrive after the worst hours of sun (she should have thought about it, but it's not so sunny that they can't find a shade to protect Robin's son), and she spots the blue-eyed man as soon as she steps into the area, but no sign of the little boy.

Of course, he'd to look flawless, seated on the blanket he'd spread across the grass, one hand supporting his weight while the other is over his brows to block the sun and allow him to see whatever is trying to, probably the little boy, and he's just wearing a t-shirt, a really too tight if the whole point is not for her to drool over him the whole afternoon.

 _Focus, Regina, this is Robin and you're meeting his son, this is not a date._

He'd brought the food, there are Granny's takeout bags tucked in a corner, and had brought toys for Roland, and she feels a warm sensation in her belly when she pictures him playing with the little boy (it's probably not a good idea, and she hopes she will be able to avoid that today, because she doesn't know how she'd react if she witness the real father of her child being... well, a father).

She could go on studying everything about him, he hadn't noticed her yet, too busy staring at the playground to actually see her approaching him, but she decides that she should let him know about her presence, it's not fair to be staring at him this way without him even knowing and, besides, she's already late.

"Sorry, I'm late," she apologizes, but Robin shakes his head.

"You're not."

"So you just got here?" she teases, but she knows he didn't, even if he just shrugs and explains that they decided to be there early because Roland wanted to play on the playground before she arrives. He's trying to be polite, and she appreciates that, but she knows that, with Henry's protests about her working on a Saturday, she ended up being late, half an hour, to be exact.

But Robin doesn't mind, just stands from his seat and places his hand on her lower back, kissing her cheek and causing a shiver to run down her spine at the gesture. She doesn't need this, is decided to ask for his son and end with this moment alone before she hears Robin calling his name and drawing the attention of a little boy on the playground, who just grins at them and hurries to go down the slide. He's adorable, brown curls and a dimpled smile just like his father, and then he's running towards them, just in time for Robin to catch him and scoop him up in his arms.

She can't even explain what she feels when she sees him in his father role. It's... torture, and overwhelming at the same time, a really torment every time she thinks this could've been Henry a few years ago.

"Everything alright?" she hears him calling her, Roland studying her with his big brown eyes, not at all inherited from his father.

"Sure," she answers, offering them both a comforting smile and raising her hand to caress his son's cheek with her thumb, "And who's this little boy?"

"This is my son," he answers, purposely not mentioning his name to see if Roland would introduce himself to Regina.

He looks to his father, waiting as he gives him a nod of his head before he says, "I'm Roland."

Regina offers him a wide smile, stretching her hand out to him and introducing herself as well, "Well, nice to meet you, Roland, I'm Regina."

"You're my papa's friend?" he asks, waiting as she nods in confirmation, "She's so pretty, papa! Can I play with her? She can push me on the swings, or play football with me, can we, papa, please?"

Robin smiles at her, and she giggles, and she was... not really expecting such a welcoming reception, but it feels good, he's so sweet, and she is not able to say no, even when her shoes are not the most comfortable ones to play football. She would push him on the swings without a problem, but she doesn't want to mess with Robin's ideas for this meeting, especially when he seems reluctant at his son's request.

"Roland, we should let Regina get settled before you start to ask her to play with you. How about we lunch first?" Robin asks, and she wants to assure that it's fine, that she can play with him a little, but he's Robin's son, and he knows what's best, so she will just let him take the lead about this and remain quiet. She watches as Roland protests, tries to ignore the puppy-dog face he throws at his father (with two boys she should be used to it by now, but apparently, she's just immune to her kids') and hears him as he argues that he's not hungry, he can play just a little before lunch.

"Well, I'm rather hungry, do you mind if we eat something before we play?" Regina steps in, and it's just enough to make him give in, Robin giving her a grateful look over his son's shoulder. He places the boy back on the floor, invites Regina to sit with them, and then they are all seated on the big blanket, Roland leaned against his father while Regina remains across from them.

They eat the sandwiches, and Robin tries his best to convince Roland that he needs to eat the fruit as well, but he says he doesn't want to, that he wants to play with Regina first, and she gives his father a shrug of her shoulders that lets him know she doesn't mind as long as he doesn't too. He ends up agreeing, places the cap back in his son's head and sends him ahead, the brown curls that remained out of the hat bouncing as he runs towards the swings. At least he wants the swings, the football didn't seem a good option after the lunch.

###

Robin watches as she follows his son. It's something he never expected to see in his life, them, having a good time together in the park. He never expected to divorce from Marian in the first place, he always thought they were meant for each other, but apparently, things change, and he can't say having Regina back in his life it's not a good thing. He's completely attached to her already, can't take the idea that she'll leave him again when this whole thing is over, even if she's not with him, even if they are nothing to each other. Well, she is for him. He considers her a friend more than just a lawyer, if she at least thought the same...

It's a good thing she's not here now, he needs time to clear his head from this thoughts, from the type of things he knows it won't happen, some of them again, such as kiss those lips or run his hands through her body... She helps Roland to sit on the swing, and then walks behind him and starts to give him little pushes, laughs as the little boy asks her to push him higher. Robin stares at their happy expressions for a while, at their smiles, at the almost imperceptible hint of worry that crosses her face when she pushes Roland higher than she intended to.

He likes to watch them together. Both of them completely unaware of Robin's attentive gaze. Roland is busy trying to do as she tells him, and is bouncing his little legs to try and reach a higher height on his own.

Robin tries to take his eyes off Regina, tries to focus on his little boy instead, and pictures for a second how it might have been his life if he'd remained with her. Would they have been parents together? He wouldn't trade Roland for the world, but he has to admit that he'd like to know how it would have been their life together.

"Roland," Regina giggles, "You have to move both feet at the same time."

The boy laughs and tells her that it's difficult, but he tries one more time, and with a little help from Regina, he's swinging a bit higher than he was before, "Papa, look, Regina taught me how to do it alone!"

"I can see that, little man," Robin replies, reaching in the bag for a bottle of water and leaving the blanket towards his son to offer him a sip, "Will you give Regina a break now?"

Roland thinks for a moment, stops the swing and accepts the water from his father as he tells Regina that she can rest since he will try to do it by himself now.

###

Regina sighs as her back hit the blanket. It's really hot when they are exposed to the sun, the summer is right around the corner, it appears, so she lets herself cool down for a moment, closes her eyes as she feels the gentle breeze helping to regulate her body temperature.

Roland can't be out there in that sun, even with the hat and the skin pretty much covered with thin layers of clothing, he will get a sunburn. She wants to tell that to Robin, but at the same time, she doesn't want to play a role that it's not hers. He already has a mother, and has a father right there looking after him (is taking photos instead of taking him to someplace cooler), but it's not her job, and it's not like the time he's taking to take the photos will do much worse. Robin is probably just letting him enjoy for a little bit more before he has to spend the next hours seated under a tree. It's a good thing he has toys.

She doesn't mind to spend a little of her time playing with action figures if that means the boy will be protected, nor it seems to bother Robin because, as she expected, he's telling Roland he can't be on the swings anymore, that it's too hot for him to be in the sun, "C'mon, Ro, I'll play with you," and, "I brought your coloring book, why don't you show Regina your drawings?" that seems to convince him, at least he's not protesting when Robin helps him to leave the swing and takes him back to their little spot.

"Gina, papa said you can color with me!" he says excitedly, and Robin gives her an apologetic look, knowing that it was him who put the idea on Roland's head.

"Roland, I didn't say that. I said you could show her the drawings."

"It's okay," she assures, "We have to be here for a while and I have nothing better to do."

With a smile of gratitude on his face, Robin walks towards his bag and grabs the book with the crayons while Regina shifts and lays on her stomach, telling Roland to do the same. He does as she asks, occupying the free spot beside her, and then Robin is placing the book in front of them, taking the spot on the other side of the boy as he removes his cap since they are not in the sun anymore.

He's a good father, she thinks, now, but nothing guarantees her that it would be the same if she'd told him about Henry ten years ago. He was probably not ready. And of course, she thinks that way, because she's trying her best to come up with a good reason for having hidden this from him all this time. It's selfish, she knows that, but it's done, and she can't do anything about it right now, unless she tells him the truth, which is a really bad idea. It takes her a moment to realize that Robin is staring at them - Roland is really focused on his painting - so she looks back at the blue-eyed man and smiles at him, and Robin bites that lower lip of him in response.

He's really handsome. Was already when they met at college, but seeing him as a father makes her feel butterflies in her stomach. That's the moment when Roland decides to look at her, frowning when he sees she's not painting anymore and that his father is the cause of it.

"Papa, you're distracting Gina!" the little boy protests, returning to his task of coloring and unaware of both adults' guilty faces as Robin shifts and grabs a crayon as well. _Might as well be entertained too_ , Regina giggles at the thought, focusing her attention back on her own task. Robin is trying to focus too, she notices that, but painting the Toy Story's characters is not so thrilled as it used to be when he was a child, "Papa?"

The blue-eyed man raises his head, looks at his son who still has his eyes on the paper, Regina mirroring Robin and looking at the boy too, "Yes, little man?"

"Do you like Gina?" he asks, shifts his gaze to his father, who stares at the woman in question with a surprised look on his face. Roland waits, patiently for an answer, and Regina places the crayon over the book and sits straight, her body language let Robin know she's waiting for the same answer as well.

She was not expecting this too, Roland seems serious about his question, and she watches as his father clears his throat, taking a moment to think before he answers him, "Well, yes... I like Regina, she's nice, don't you think?" it's not what Roland was asking, they notice by the look on his little face, but it should be enough for a four-year-old, and the fact that it doesn't seem to be, has Robin frowning in confusion, "Why do you ask?" he continues, and now he's just focused on his boy, on the way Roland drops his crayon and sits straight too.

"Mama said she liked her friend. And then asked me if I don't mind if he spends more time with us."

Realization hits Robin as he understands that Roland thinks this is all about him meeting his parents' new partners. Regina imagines he didn't even know Marian has a new boyfriend, let alone assume that he is spending time with his son, even if it had been just one time. She should have talked to him, Robin would talk to her if he was about to introduce their son to a new girlfriend, Regina is sure of it. He introduced the boy to her, but it's not the same thing, she's just a friend.

Regina shifts her gaze to the blue-eyed man, watching as he seems so taken aback by the news, Roland's eyes focused on his father. Robin sits straight too, his hands reaching for the boy to bring him closer to him. He'll want to talk about this, she thinks, and the talk will not be so gentle as it could have been if Marian had been the one to tell him in the first place.

"Well, Regina is not that type of friend," Robin tries to explain, sitting the boy on his lap, "But... do you like mama's friend? Is he nice for you?"

Roland looks at him, a small smile on his lips as he nods, "He is. He plays with me."

Well, that's something. She's sure Robin is just trying to know if the man who is with Marian now behaves when it comes to his son.

"That's good," he smiles, small but genuine, "Now, why won't you go play? Just stay in the shade, alright?"

The little boy squeals in joy, grabs the ball beside all the bags and runs towards the shade of a tree that it's a little larger than the one where they had placed the blanket.

Regina is still staring at Robin, to the way he shifts in his spot and is now with his back to her, watching his son, Roland's laughs the only sound in the background. Robin has his arms around his knees, his hands fiddling with each other. He loves that child, it's so obvious, and maybe she should talk to him, offer him some reassurance. So she rises to her knees and closes the distance between them, stopping right behind him where she can see Roland over Robin's shoulder.

"You didn't know," she breaks the silence, placing a hand on his bicep. He's still watching his son, shaking his head to confirm her suspicions, his eyes half closed due to the sunlight, "Robin, I know it's hard... But you knew it could happen eventually. It can happen to you."

At least he wouldn't hide that from Marian, she thinks, because he wouldn't need it. Marian didn't need it.

Regina thinks on the custody for a moment, on the possibility of Marian hiding that because she was afraid of losing Roland. The situation is horrible, but Regina is not the one to judge Marian, she'd hidden a worse thing from him, worse that a boyfriend that had met his son for the first time... His other son had actually been raised for another person, without Robin even know about him.

"I know this could happen, I just didn't think..." he sighs, looking at her, "That would happen so soon," his voice is low, weak, and if she didn't know him, she would say he was sad because things between him and Marian were officially over, but it's not the case, and his next words just prove her that, "Will this affect the custody?"

Regina shakes her head, sitting beside him in an attempt to ease the ache she feels on her knees, "I don't think so, as long as she doesn't move in with him, or doesn't marry him... he doesn't have to be mentioned, it's not relevant to the case."

"Then I don't understand why she hid this from me."

"Maybe she didn't know how to tell you," she offers, and she wonders how good it is for him to be talking about this with her of all people, due to the relationship they shared in the past, but she's just trying to make him feel better, allow him to open up, "Or she just genuinely thought that she didn't need to. She introduced him to Roland and made a point of talking to him first, that's a good thing, right?"

She really thinks it is. His son is all that matters, and Marian was careful to know what the little boy thinks about this whole thing. Regina just met him and already can tell he's really sweet to everybody, he immediately wanted to play with her and show her everything. As long as he's okay with this, it's not a bad thing that Marian wants to start a new chapter. It just would have been nice if she'd mentioned that to Robin too, since he's the father of the child. Regina doesn't believe Robin would be against his son meeting this man, it's worse now that everything had happened behind his back. Regina's already sad just to think of it, and she clears her throat to pull herself together, focuses on Robin one more time.

"I'm not defending her," she explains when he doesn't answer, "I was just... trying to see her point."

The silence he gives her back is really disconcerting, unnerving, but he ends up turning to face her, a confused look on his face, "I still think I have the right to know who my son is spending time with."

Regina shrugs, bites her lip, "Does Marian know I'm here with you?" he answers with a kind of a frown, an 'are you serious?' look on his face, and she knows this is entirely different, or it should be, she's not really sure, but the point is, Robin (and Marian) will have to accept that Roland spends time with other people, it would happen eventually, "I think you should talk to Marian about this, yes, but I also think that you should enjoy the time you have with your son."

He looks at Roland one last time before he turns to her, nodding his head, and he seems to study her, seems to want to ask her something but is afraid to do so. So they just remain like this, with him eyeing her as she stares at his little boy, a small smile on her lips at the way Roland runs after the ball in the grass, and then...

"Why do you seem to speak with such certainty about this?" Robin asks, his look already an apologetic one for snooping into her life. But Regina gives him a sad smile, shakes her head, since he couldn't be more wrong. She shouldn't even think about telling him this, but he seems to need, and if she doesn't develop it too much, maybe it can be a help.

She looks at her hand in his arm, slides it down until she can place it back on the blanket for support, Robin shifting his position too to be facing her completely.

"I don't. Believe me," it's truth, she's not even talking from experience, she doesn't know how it would be if she had to deal with other people in her sons' lives. But she would have to do it if it happened, for everybody's sake. She shrugs, looks back at Robin's blue eyes, "I don't have to share my kids with anybody," she explains, regretting her words the second she let them out. She squints her eyes, picturing Daniel's smiley face in her head, of him playing with Henry, or just holding Dylan, "Their father died a year ago."

Robin stiffens at that, a deep exhale leaving him as he replies, "I'm sorry, I didn't want to..." but Regina shakes her head, decided to avoid this talk as much as she can since she would prefer that the topic of their conversation remained about Robin, not her.

"What I was trying to say was," she continues, sighing deeply, "Your son has a father and a mother who care about him," her gaze shifts to the boy, smiling at his joy as he plays, "And probably will have more people playing that role too, but... is that that bad?"

As if he was waiting for that moment to happen, Roland runs towards them with the ball under his arm, his forehead glistening with the beads of sweat rolling down his baby skin. Maybe is getting too hot, even in the shade. Maybe they should call it a day.

"Papa," he pants, the ball falling from his arm to the grass near Robin's feet, "I'm thirsty."

"We should probably go home, little man."

She should too, Regina thinks, should pick up her kids and spend at least what's left of Saturday with them. Henry was not happy this morning, so maybe she can make it up to him and cook his favorite meal for dinner.

Roland doesn't seem so excited to leave, though, a pout on his lips and sad eyes as he asks, "What about Gina?"

"Regina has to go home too," Robin explains, standing from his seat, "You know, she has her own sons to take care."

The little boy's eyes wide at that, at the news about Regina's sons, and he puts his best puppy eyes, an attempt to convince both his father and the brunette, as he shifts his gaze between them and asks, "Can I meet them, please?"

Regina feels her stomach protest at the idea. It's a bad one, it's definitely impossible that he meets Henry, Robin shouldn't even know about him, or now that he knows, can't know about the boy's age at least. Not if she wants to keep her secret.

But Robin is quick to act, crouching at his son's level and shaking his head at his request, explaining, "Not today, my boy, you need a bath and we don't want to mess with Regina's plans."

"Maybe another day," Regina adds, regretting immediately her words, "I have to talk to them."

"Yes!" Roland smiles, "I want to play with them."

"Alright, Roland, say goodbye to Regina," Robin chuckles, caressing his son's curls and focusing his attention on gather his things as Roland approaches the brunette. He packs everything back on his bag - what's left of the food, Roland's toys and the blanket - and then picks up his son, grabbing the heavy bag before turning to Regina. She has started to gather her things as well, grabbing her jacket and offering them a smile.

"Thank you," Robin says, for everything she had done for him today, for having met his son and for the talk they shared earlier.

She shrugs in response, "I enjoyed the afternoon, and I loved to meet you, Roland."

"Me too," the little boy grins, staring at her with his big brown eyes and asking, "Can we play again another time?"

"Definitely," Regina answers, laughing and waving at them as she starts to make her way towards her car. She's completely in love with this boy, and she will do everything in her power to keep him and Robin together.

###

He's getting ready for bed when his phone rings, and it's Regina's name that shows up on the screen.

It's been almost three weeks since their meeting at the park, and they haven't really talked too much since then. She'd let him know she would take care of his petition and he didn't want to interfere with her work, so he'd remained in touch and waiting, until this 10 PM on a Tuesday evening, when she decides to call.

His breath gets stuck in his throat at the sight of her name on his phone, knowing too well why she's calling him at this time of the night. He knows it's about Roland, so his concerns are back on his mind when he remembers what tomorrow will mean, and he has to take a moment to remember that Regina will be there to help him and everything will be fine. But this is his son they are talking about, so it's impossible for Robin to remain calm over this, over the possibility of losing his little boy.

Not even Regina's presence seems to soothe him at this moment, not even her warm 'Hello' meant to greet him seems to be able to do the trick. He can spot the gentle tone in her voice, soft, and kind, and almost protective, so he lets her take the lead, since it was her who called him in the first place, "How are you feeling?"

"I'm fine," he answers, but he's sure she'll know he's lying, so he corrects, "I'm nervous... but I'm okay, really, I can deal with this, I just have to convince myself that I won't lose my son," he shuts his eyes at that, sighs, sounds really shaken by the whole thing, "I know you're a very good lawyer, don't think I'm doubting your abilities."

He hears her starting to assure that no, she doesn't think that, but she must have thought that this is not about her, that this call is for him to open up, so she shuts all of a sudden, and then she's asking, "Is Roland with you?"

He shakes his head, even if he knows she can't see him from the other end of the line, but he doesn't trust himself at this moment, and he hates to show himself so weak to her when she's really trying to talk to him and making him feel better. He's being nothing more than a pain in the ass, and Regina doesn't need more worries in her life, so he tells her that "No, Roland is not with me", but assures, "It's probably better this way, he picks on these things and the last thing I wanted was having to explain the situation to him."

"I understand. Do you have time, then? I'd like to explain-"

"Regina, I always have time for you."

He hears the silence that follows after his words, and it wasn't really his intention to make her feel uncomfortable, he just wanted to let her know that she's not bothering him, she's really helping him.

"Thank you, I want you to know that," she swallows, "Whatever it is the decision tomorrow, it's temporary."

"I know."

"The judge will try to understand the situation, so the order of custody is not definitive. Everything will be done thinking about Roland," she assures, because she knows that, if it was with her, she would want to know that her son's best interests are taken into account, "And I will talk to Marian's attorney, know what she wants."

He answers her with an 'Okay', soft and quiet, already knowing what his ex-wife wants for their son. She wants to take Roland away from him, maybe not really away, but definitely the things would not remain the same as now. He'd not have a say in most of the issues relating to Roland, and he'd just see him when she allowed him to. There's no way he'll run his life around Marian's.

He walks into the kitchen, grabs a mug from one of the cabinets and prepares to make some coffee. It's probably not a good idea when he's about to go to sleep, but he knows he'll remain awake with or without the drink, so at least he can enjoy the hot beverage and maybe it will help him to ease his mind. If only Regina could be there with him instead on the phone. But it's still good, and her voice is warm, friendly, what he needs right now.

"Robin," she calls him when there's just a silence between them, "I'll do my best."

"I know," he assures, because its truth, he never thought otherwise, "But I also know what I asked you is not easy to achieve, especially on the first appearance."

"No, it's not easy," she agrees, and she sounds a little guilty, even if it's not her fault at all that he can't get the full custody just like that, "It will take time, but this will be a snowball, Robin, one of you will be always in disagreement."

She's right, and that it's not the best for Roland, but can she blame him? He's just trying to fight for what is his by right.

"I know that, and I know it will affect Roland, but..." he stops his words, sighing and asking despite he already knows the answer, "What do you suggest?"

She takes a moment to answer, but when she does, she sounds determined, decided to play her role of his counselor the best she can, "What the court will do tomorrow, encourage you and Marian to get to an agreement."

"And I'm willing to try that," he hears her starting to mutter a 'really?', but he's quicker to intervene, explaining, "But I'll wait to hear from Marian's attorney first."

It's just fair, that he gets to hear from his ex-wife too, it will not be just him to give in. An agreement implies a compromise from both parts and, to tell the truth, Marian started this, he'd be more than happy with an agreed schedule by both of them. She wanted to take this to court, so he'll not give up his son just to make things easier. It'd probably be better for Roland if he wasn't in the middle of this fight, but would be good for him to be away from his father? Robin disagrees with that.

"Of course," she replies, "But will you consider that?"

"I promise you that, love," he answers, his lips tilting up at the way he just addressed her, especially when she doesn't say nothing against it, "Thank you, for everything you're doing for us, for Roland... he became quite smitten with you, you know?"

She giggles at that, and Robin takes a moment to relish in that sound, something he used to do every day when they were at the college together, before the whole situation between them happen.

"He's a sweetheart," she assures, before she adds, "I myself think that he got me wrapped around his little finger."

"He keeps asking me... when he can see you again."

"Him or his father?"

Is she flirting? _She is_ flirting with him, and he can't have that. Not when he knows that they won't go over that. She doesn't seem willing to try again, even if Robin was willing to do that, so it's better if they remain just friends, just a lawyer, and her client. It's safer, and no one can't get hurt by this.

"Roland," he replies, but he hears how it sounds, and he doesn't want her to think he doesn't want to see her, that he doesn't want to spend time with her, because he wants, he wants it so much, "I mean, I want to see you too, but... God, I'm sorry, I just wanted to let you know that Roland was thrilled that day at the park. We really appreciated you to getting out of your way to spend time with us."

"I get it," she laughs, and Robin couldn't be more embarrassed. Of course, she was just messing with him, "I was just trying... to lighten the mood," she explains, but she gets more serious, her voice coming low as she adds, "And trying to come up with an excuse to ask if you want to meet earlier tomorrow, before the appearance?"

Is she asking him... She's telling... Is she asking him out?

She isn't. Deep down Robin knows she's trying to make him feel better about the whole situation and probably she just needs a moment to talk to him before the appearance. It's not a date, it will never be, especially on a day like tomorrow.

"I would like that," he replies, adding, "Do you want me to pick you up?"

He knows she's thinking about his offer when she doesn't reply. She probably doesn't want to start any rumor, but it's not a crime if they show up together, right? He's her client and it's only normal if they meet first to talk about the case, "If you don't mind, yes, thank you."

"I don't," he assures, and by the time they are finishing their talk, his coffee is long forgotten on the table, and maybe it's a good thing, maybe he will be able to sleep after all, "See you tomorrow?"

"Yes, goodnight, Robin."

"Goodnight, Regina," he says, finally hanging up the call, but not before he thanks her one more time for everything she had already done, and for remembering of calling him tonight.

He walks towards the bedroom, settles himself under the covers, thinking about his conversation with Regina, and then sleep claims him easily after that, stays with him until he's ready and well rested to face the day he has ahead.

* * *

 **So, what did you think?**

 **I was not really sure about this chapter, but if you liked it it's all that matters, let me know, please :)**


	7. Chapter 7

**Hi, before you read, just let me tell you what legal and physical custody is, because that appears in this chapter and it's important. So, physical custody is the type of custody that is given to the parent with whom the child will live. It means that the parent who has that custody will take care of the child on a daily basis.**

 **Legal custody is about the major decisions about the child: education, health etc.**

 **I hope it helps, and good readings :)**

* * *

Chapter 7.

Robin arrives at her house at 9 a.m on Wednesday morning, and it's pretty notorious how troubled he's feeling about this whole thing. He keeps pretending that he's fine, that he's not nervous at all, but Regina can spot the little hints he throws her way, that smile of his that doesn't reach his eyes when he greets her, or how he keeps fidgeting his hands even if he forces himself to place them into the pockets of his slacks in an attempt to control the movement. She notices everything, every little detail, since she can say she knows Robin better than anyone else. That can be a good or a bad thing, apparently.

She meets him in the porch, a breath of fresh air will just do them good, and places the cup with the fresh coffee in front of him, already knowing what he needs to make him feel better, even if it's just a little bit.

She watches as he wraps his hand around the plastic container, offering her a small smile when the rim of the cup touches his lips, and then he's relishing in the feeling of the hot beverage warming his stomach, letting her know that the coffee had been a good idea, even if the day is growing to be a pretty hot one.

She could use a drink herself. This whole situation is making her more nervous than she uses to be every time she goes to court, and she's sure that's because she can't get out of her head the image of Robin and Roland at the park, playing and laughing together, and just being a real family. She can't even imagine what may happen if she fails (she doesn't use to, but she's just human, after all), and she has to remind herself that whatever happens today, it is a temporary decision, and everything can change in a few weeks.

"You look beautiful," his voice reaches her ears, breaking the silence they were wrapped in, and he sounds more peaceful, almost soothing, makes a feeling of comfort run through her whole body. He must have picked on her anxiety because, she's just dressed in her usual work attire - a black suit jacket over a white shirt, and a suit skirt that is also black and reaches her knees - is not the definition of a beautiful outfit, but it works, she supposes. Either way, his compliment gives her confidence, and despite she never believed for a second that Robin would blame her if things don't go as planned, it's always nice to feel he's on her side no matter what happens, "I like the glasses."

She giggles. _Oh, so is that_. He always liked to see her wearing glasses, she's sure it's almost like a fetish or something.

She mutters a ' _thank you_ ', tells him he's not so bad himself, and then it's all silence again, as she watches him sip his coffee, probably thinking about what is yet to come.

She already told him what she thinks it's important the day before on the phone, so she doesn't really know how to help him anymore. She knows this will just be over when he hears that he'll have his son with him, or at least that he won't lose the boy, so she remains quiet, looks around her at her peaceful yard and offers, "I should drive," but when he looks back at her with a puzzled look on his face, she feels the need to explain herself, "The ride will allow you to... relax. And I must say that drive a car soothes myself."

He agrees without much fight, has more important things in his head right now, so he reaches for his keys in the pocket of his jacket and hands it to her, leading her towards his car.

It's not like she hadn't been in his car before, but what she feels when she's seated in the driver seat is completely different. It shouldn't be, but she can't stop thinking that this is too domestic, more than it should, given that their relationship had already crossed the line of lawyer-client a long time ago.

She missed him, truth to be told, and not romantically. Just missed being near and talking to him, share everything like when they were best friends. She doesn't need that type of relationship again, but she needs him back in her life, and not just during the custody case. She will figure out a way to deal with the issue about Henry, is even willing to let them know about each other if she can trust Robin in fully. It will require a lot of work from both of them, and she's not even sure if Robin is ready, and wants, to have another child in his life, but this whole thing is consuming her and she needs to at least think about all the options.

"Robin," she calls before she can stop herself, drawing his attention from whatever was happening in the street before she'd called his name. Now she can't step back, and this is hardly the right time to have this conversation, but she has to tell him something now, and even if she doesn't want to worry him even more than he already is, she has to get this over with, so she continues, "I know this is not the time, nor the place, to have this conversation, but... I just have to know if you are willing to talk about what happened between us... ten years ago."

She can't even read the look on his face. Doesn't know if he's mad at her for bringing this subject minutes before a court appearance about his son, or if he's just surprised to hear her talking about that, when she's always the first to run away from that issue. Either way, she waits until he gives her an answer, an ' _Of course_ ' that doesn't give her much confidence, but he has his son to think about right now, after all, so she's glad that, at least, he seems genuinely willing to fix things between them.

"Good, about the court..." she continues, not wanting to discard the talk, now that they were able to start one (well, kind of, is just her who is doing the talking, but it's enough for now), "Do you have any questions?"

He shakes his head, as she was expecting, and she asks herself if she should just shut up and letting him with his thoughts. If it was her, she would want to have a moment of peace, alone with her thoughts and where she could picture everything she wanted without worry if she was hurting someone in the process. She knows that, even if he doesn't want to, even if it's not his intention, he will blame her, even if just a little bit, if this doesn't go according to plan. And she will do the same, so she doesn't judge him, she will think that it's her fault, just like she will take the credit if the opposite happens. She wishes for it.

So she should. She should let him alone for a bit, and she does just that. She keeps quiet the rest of the ride, until they are already roaming through the large corridors and Robin grabs her hand to stop her in her tracks. He looks around them, probably making sure they are alone, and intertwines their fingers together, taking a step in her direction as he simply says, "Thank you, I'm sorry if I'm distant today."

"It's okay, it will be alright," she tries to assure, wrapping her free arm around his torso as he does the same and places his hand on the back of her head to bring her closer.

It's just what they needed right now, and when she pushes back to put some distance between them and fix the wrinkles in her suit, is with a bigger and confident smile on her lips, the same Robin has on his face when he enters the courtroom behind Regina.

###

Regina sees her entering the room not even ten minutes after she and Robin had taken their seats behind the wooden table.

Dark brown hair, big brown eyes, and she's dressed in an impeccable white suit, fit for the occasion. There's no doubt she's Roland's mother, the boy is so similar to her, apart from the dimples he'd inherited from his father. A winning feature if you ask Regina.

She stands from her seat, Robin doing the same when he sees his ex-wife approaching them, and stretches her hand out to greet the same woman, introducing herself and Robin to her lawyer when he does the same.

The atmosphere is heavy between the former couple, Regina notices how Robin's jaw clenches when he shakes Marian's hand, but she can't really judge him, he's being polite and it's not a rule that he has to be friends with his ex-wife. If that was the case, they wouldn't even be here. So she remains quiet, can't say she isn't glad when the voice announcing the judge echoes through the room, making Marian and her lawyer return to their seats as Regina and Robin remain standing.

"You may proceed... Miss Mills?"

She leaves her seat beside the blue-eyed man, occupying the spot in front of the microphone, and places the papers in front of her, glancing at Robin a last time before she starts her speech, "Thank your Honor. My name's Regina Mills, I'm here representing my client, Robin Locksley, father of the child in question, and we're here to ask for physical custody, which means my client is willing to share legal custody with the mother."

She'd advised Robin to ask for physical custody, even if she knows that he thinks he and Marian are not able to make decisions together about Roland, but she also knows that it's difficult to win both physical and legal custody of the child. So he'd accepted, understanding that having Roland splitting his time between his parents is not the best for him, nor Robin would win the full legal custody of his son if they didn't prove Marian is incapable of making decisions about Roland and key aspects of his welfare. As far as they know, Marian is not a bad mother, and they will have to make an effort to share these decisions. The only thing Robin had told her he's not willing to give in is from his time with the boy, so if he wins the physical custody, he will have Roland living with him and of course, he'll let him stay with Marian sometimes, he just doesn't want to have a strict schedule dictating when and where he can see his son.

"We don't have any incident to report," Regina continues, clearing her throat as she explains, "we just believe that a joint physical custody arrangement is not the best for the minor, given that is our best interest to have a solid routine for the child," she finishes, thanking one more time before she returns to her seat beside Robin to hear what Marian's lawyer has to say.

Regina already knows they want both physical and legal custody, and that is just proved when the man starts to point exactly that, but she's rather curious to know how they will prove to the judge that Robin is not capable of taking part in the decisions about Roland. He's a great father, from what she's seen so far, and Roland loves him, and she even made a point of asking Robin if she should know about a situation that can be used against him by Marian, to which he told her that no, there's never been any situation apart from the normal fights a couple has after the divorce.

So she's not worried. She's even pretty confident until Marian's lawyer starts to point the reasons for their request, one of them taking both Regina and Robin by surprise as the words come out of his mouth, "There's this situation when Mr. Locksley left the child with his parents, for the simple purpose of leaving the house-"

"I'm sorry, your Honor, I'd like to object to this," Regina intervenes, standing up and fixing the wrinkles in her skirt as she explains, "There's nothing relevant in this allegation that can prove my client is not capable of taking care of the child. In fact, I'd like to point that Mr. Locksley left the child with responsible adults, which proves that everything was done thinking of the child's safety," she finishes, taking her seat once again as Marian's lawyer returns to his spot behind the microphone.

"I'd like to continue, your Honor, so I can give you the reasons for choosing to mention this in court."

They wait, watch as the judge give the man in the suit the confirmation to proceed, and Regina notices, by the corner of her eye, how Robin closes his eyes and exhales heavily at the decision.

If this is something bad, why didn't he tell her this story before? Now she's not prepared to defend him against this allegation, she doesn't even know what this is about.

"What happened was that Mr. Locksley returned his parents' house later that evening, and tried to leave with the child when he was in no condition to drive. Mr. Locksley was under the influence of alcohol, and was his mother who kept him from leaving the house in that condition, later at night, with a child."

Regina is about to kill Robin. Did he really hide this from her? He should've told her everything, she would have prepared herself to defend him against this new information. It's a good thing that, nor Robin, nor Marian, will have to testify today, he's not ready to fight against these allegations. But Regina's sure this will become a permanent record, and they will have to do something about this when the time for them to testify comes.

She wasn't expecting this, she never went to court without the proper preparation, and as she hears Marian's lawyer continuing his statement, she starts to realize that this will be way more difficult than she expected.

"Can you tell me who the child has been living with?" the judge's voice echoes through the room, addressing both attorneys, but is Marian's who speaks first, explaining that Roland has been staying with his mother because her house is closer from the boy's school, and because they don't want to 'impose any radical changes on the child'.

Is he serious? His school is closer from Marian because she chose it without bothering to know Robin's opinion. And regarding any radical changes, they've already passed that stage a long time ago.

"I'm sorry, your Honor, my client alleges that his opinion regarding the child's school wasn't taken into account," Regina intervenes, and at least now they have something to use against Marian. She doesn't have Roland's full legal custody yet, so she shouldn't be able to make decisions of this type all by herself. Robin has a say in this, he's still his father, and Regina's knows that they are completely decided to make the judge believe that Roland spends more time with his mother because, at the first appearances, the temporary decision about the custody is generally based on what has been happening until now, as long as the child is safe, "And we'd like to add that, due to the several times Mr. Locksley picks up the boy from school, he's pointed as the primary parent to whom they should return the child," Regina continues, leaving Marian and her lawyer, and even Robin, speechless as she leaves her seat to walk towards the judge, handing him a paper with Roland's school logo impressed on it, "I have a document signed by the director of the school that proves just what I just said, I would like to give it to you."

She subtly winks at Robin as she returns to her seat beside the blue-eyed man, who keeps eyeing her as she had just saved him from a really complicated situation. She had, somehow, and he knew about the document - Regina wouldn't have been able to have access to it if Robin didn't give his authorization to the school - but now he's just even more glad to have her back in his life, to have her representing him in this case. Now he knows why she's so good at her job, and it's because she gathers all these details, something Robin wouldn't remember to do if he was on his own.

"Very well. Is there any chance that a temporary custodial order can be negotiated?" the judge asks, the last chance for them to try and reach a consensus about Roland.

Robin had already told her that he's willing to try an agreement with his ex-wife, but Marian's attorney is quicker and explains to the judge that his client is not prepared to change her request and endanger the safety of her son. He has to be kidding.

"Okay, so, I take that the situation with Mr. Locksley was a one-off occurrence. I believe that there's nothing wrong with leaving the child with the grandparents," the judge says, causing Robin to sigh in relief at the old man's words. At least he's free from this one, but Regina will have to talk to him and know what happened that day if they don't want to be surprised again, "So I'd say that, for the period of two weeks, until we have a second appearance, the mother can keep the physical custody, but the father has the right to see the child and have a say in the decisions related to the minor," the man informs, his words making Robin bring his hands to cover his face in an attempt to hide the disappointment he's feeling right now.

Regina was already expecting that. Can't say she didn't predict that Roland would remain with Marian for these next few weeks. She knew that they wouldn't be able to radically change the situation without nothing against his ex-wife, at least at the first appearance, but she knows that this still may change, Robin is still able to win the physical custody, this is just one more test to his abilities as a father.

"But I want to say to the mother that, the decision about the child's school is an important one, so you'd be well advised to discuss that with Mr. Locksley, alright?" the judge addresses Marian, who answers a polite ' _Yes, your Honor_ ' that makes Robin want to reply to her right there in front of everyone, "Alright, you're dismissed, I'll hear from you in two weeks."

Regina raises from her seat, shaking Marian's and her lawyer's hands when they approach her, at the same time she waits for Robin to do the same and leave his seat. He's just frozen in his spot, elbows settled on the table as his hands cover his face, and she feels an ache in her heart just for seeing him like this. He'll need time, she knows that, but she just wants to wrap her arms around him and promise him that everything will get better, that she'll be able to change this.

She hears an almost inaudible ' _Miss Mills_ ' coming from behind her, causing the brunette to turn around and see Marian of all people waiting for a reply from her. Is she still waiting for Robin to greet her? Because it's pretty notorious that he's not in a mood to talk to her, and for the first time in ten years, Regina feels an urge to shield Robin from her, even if her job is not really to help him to avoid his ex-wife, "Can you please let him know that I will be outside waiting to talk to him?"

"I'm not sure-"

"I can talk for myself, Regina doesn't need to act as a postman between us," Robin replies, the anger and sadness both pretty evident in his voice.

She doesn't really know what happens next, but the last thing she sees is a heartbroken Robin getting out of the room without giving her time to gather her things, while Marian follows right behind him.

###

"Robin!"

He hears Marian rushing behind him, her heels clicking on the tile floor as she follows him through the corridors of the large building.

He didn't even wait for Regina, someone who really deserves his care after everything she'd done for him today, and all because he wants to avoid this woman, who keeps following him and calling his name like crazy.

Doesn't she realize that he doesn't want to talk to her? That he doesn't want to look at the woman who can keep his boy away from him. He needs this time alone to gather his thoughts, would rather be talking to Regina about this than trying to run away from his son's mother. Why does she want to talk to him? She has half of what she wanted, she gets to keep Roland these two weeks, they have nothing to talk about, at least that can be so urgent that she can't give him a time to be alone.

Unfortunately, he reaches the front door of the building without Marian given up, so he knows what comes next when she grabs his arm because the bloody revolving door gives her enough time to catch up with him.

"What do you want, Marian?" he turns abruptly, eyes red from the tears as he locks his gaze with hers and waits for any response from his son's mother. She doesn't seem pleased, she's not pleased at all, but it was him who just lost his child, not her, she doesn't even have reasons to be eyeing him this way.

"You know... I was going to ask if you wanted Roland for the weekend," she explains, the anger and accusation pretty notorious in her tone, "But forget it, I guess Roland is not the only one who throws a tantrum."

She walks through him, toward the exit, while Robin remains speechless in the lobby, his back turned to the glass doors that led Marian towards the fresh air of the street.

How can he be so stupid? Deep down, he knows she's just considering letting him have Roland because she probably needs it, because now she has a new man in her life that apparently needs as much, or even more, attention as their son. Why she wants Roland's custody if she will just use it to infuriate Robin? She will keep asking him to have the boy every time she has a compromise and will forget he has a father the rest of the time.

But despite everything, he knows he'll accept gladly every time she offers him time with his boy, because he loves him more than anything and nothing is more important than him, not even his pride. So that's the reason why Robin pushes away his thoughts and follows Marian outside, mirroring her previous gesture and grabbing her arm to keep her from entering her car.

"Marian, wait!" he pulls her towards him, closing the metal door behind her. It was probably not the best thing to do since she seems even more pissed than before, but he's practically doing her a favor, it's no bother for him to watch Roland, of course, but it's nevertheless a favor, "Are you asking me to stay with Roland because I'm his father and I _want_ to be with him, or because you _need_ me to watch him?"

Her answer is short and clear as she rolls her eyes and pushes his hand away from her arm. Busted. At least she could show a bit of regret now that Robin already knows her plans, "I can find somebody else to watch him."

"Marian," he sighs, rubbing his face with his hands in an attempt to pull himself together, even if he's far from okay with this situation. Not because of Marian, nor because her new relationship, but because she still seems decided to don't mention this new guy to Robin, even when he already met his son. It has to be serious if she already introduced him to Roland, and it's not possible that she was convinced that a four-year-old would keep secret about this, there was no way, "You know that's not the point. Of course, I want to stay with him, but... were you going to tell me?"

At this point, Robin's sure she already knows what he's talking about, his voice is more filled with anguish than actually jealous or angry when he talks about this man, especially because he has no reasons to be jealous, his relationship with Marian is more than over and he'll always be Roland's father no matter who enters in the boy's life. But he has the right to be anguished over this, Marian should've told him that now there's another man that plays Robin's role when he can't, when the boy is with his mother and Robin is not present. Maybe she actually wanted to be Roland to tell him, save herself from the talk they both know is to come and that now they will have in front of the court... Great.

"Why? Don't tell me you want to meet him," she replies with a disbelieving tone in her voice, making Robin bite her lip in an attempt to keep this conversation civilized.

"If he'll be part of my son's life, yes, I'd like that," he answers, watching as Marian just stares at him with a 'you've to be kidding' look on her face. He's not, he's not kidding, not in the slightest. He just wants to know who is this man, make sure he's a good influence for Roland since he'll spend a lot of time with him. It's not strange, and it's no big deal, he won't ruin her relationship if that's what is bothering her.

But Marian keeps looking at him, waiting for him to change his mind, even if she already knows that he won't, he's pretty decided about this, "I can talk to him and see if he's comfortable with that... maybe Friday when you pick up Roland," she gives in, her expression turning into something softer when she notices the thankful look on her ex-husband's face, "But Robin... please don't ruin this for Roland, he seems more used to this situation."

"I won't," he answers quickly, even if her words really break his heart. He has no reasons to ruin anything, he just wants his son to be happy.

He notices how her gaze shifts behind him, making himself turn around and spot Regina on the other side of the glass door with a disappointed look on her face. He can't bear that she thinks this is her fault, she did the best she could, he's pretty proud of her work if he can say so. It's not her fault that the system is the way it is, that it's almost impossible for a father to get the custody, especially on the first appearance.

"Do you mind..."

"Go," Marian gestures with her head to the other brunette, "I'll let you know about Friday."

He nods his head, mutters a ' _Thank you_ ', and then is off to meet Regina in the lobby, a reassuring smile on his face as he approaches his lawyer.

###

He's right there with Marian, talking about something that, for the first time since she reconnected with Robin, she really wished to know what it is about.

She never bothered to try to know more about his relationship with Marian (they are divorced and that's all Regina needs to know to work on Roland's custody), but now it's really affecting her, and she just feels the urge to protect him from his ex-wife.

 _God_ , what is she doing? Taking herself in deeper when it comes to Robin, almost letting herself fall for him all over again. It's not what she wants, or at least, it's not what she expected when she saw his name written on the paper. She always thought she could get through this without re-experiencing what she felt when she was in college with him, but, apparently, that will be more complicated than she initially thought, especially when his blue eyes lock with hers as he starts walking towards the lobby, those dimples on his face in full display with his smile.

He's so handsome, and a pretty good father, and which woman wouldn't like to have a man like that in her life? Especially when she already shares a kid with him.

"Robin," she breathes out, the corners of her lips tilting up in a small smile as she sees that, at least, he looks less nervous than he was when he left the room (and her) behind, "How did it go?"

He reaches out and pulls her closer, encircling her body in a hug as he wraps his arms around her and places one hand on her lower back as the other cups her head, while he brings his lips to her ear.

He's smiling, she doesn't know how to explain how, but she can feel it, and his voice is soft, and pleasant, makes her smile herself as he whispers, "I got Roland for the weekend."

"Really?" she puts some distance between them, enough to look at Robin's eyes and see how happy he's about that. She's happy for him too, of course, she knows that any time he gets with his son is a really special one. She would like to offer him that special time with Henry too, maybe one day, when this is all over and he doesn't feel the need to fight for the custody of her son as well.

She likes to see him this happy, the way his teeth bite his tongue as he smiles, the movement drawing her gaze to it. No, no, this is terrible, she can't feel this need to kiss him, right here, in the middle of the building where she just represented him as his lawyer. She shouldn't feel the need to kiss him at all. This can be bad for her job, and bad for his case, not to mention for their relationship as well. She's not supposed to fall for her clients, it's a rule that she can't have any type of relationship with them, even if that client had been her first love and is the father of one of her children.

She feels really relieved when his hand falls from her neck, the other placed on her lower back moves to grasp her hip, but at least it makes her avert her eyes from his lips. She's pretty sure he's aware of the way she was looking at him, so she's not really surprised when he tries to change the mood between them, "Yes, well, Marian needs me to. She has plans," he explains, already making Regina feel angry at his ex-wife. Of course, this couldn't be a gesture of goodwill, an opportunity for Robin to be with his boy. This is just useful for Marian, to drop the kid with his father during the weekend, "But that doesn't matter, what matters is that I can be with my son."

The corners of her lips tilt up at that, her hands falling from his biceps where have been placed for too much time now, "You're right," she replies, thinking that this is why he's such a good father, because all that matters for him is being able to be with his son. That's one of the reasons that make her want to tell him the whole truth about Henry without thinking twice. But then she thinks about losing the boy, and even about losing Robin's trust, and she immediately changes her mind.

There's too much at stake at this point.

"I'm such an idiot," he sighs, bringing his hands to his eyes and turning his back to her, leaving Regina completely confused at his change of mood. He was so happy a few moments ago, so relaxed. And now he seems frustrated, probably because of the decision about Roland's custody, "Do you believe I asked Marian to meet her new boyfriend?"

So that's the reason.

She loops her arm with his, leading him towards the front door of the building, and walks them outside, where they can have a bit more privacy to talk about these things. They'll certainly not talk about this inside the court, where any person beside them can hear and make their own assumptions. So she gives him a reassuring smile when they stop in her tracks and she turns to him, and answers the question she knows is in his mind when she asks, "Do you want to talk about it?"

He seems troubled, not really knowing what to do, but she's his lawyer after all, and if it's not her who can advise him on this issue, who will be?

"It's not what you are probably thinking, I just asked because I want to know who will be another role model for my son."

" _You and Marian are_ Roland's role models," Regina points out, staring deeply into Robin's eyes, "But I understand. You want to make sure he's good enough to be worthy of your son," he nods, slowly, almost shyly, but Regina can put herself in his position, she'd do the same if this happened to her, "I actually think that's not bad at all."

"You do?" he asks, raising both brows at her reply.

"Yes, I do. You'll meet him and feel better to see that he's probably not the monster you're thinking," she teases, arching her brow to bother him. She doesn't believe Marian would allow or even chose to be with someone that would not be good for Roland. He'll not be his father, of course, but if things work out between them, he'll have an important role in Roland's life and Marian, as his mother, probably wants the same as Robin, to see her son happy.

"Or maybe first I'll have to show him what can happen if he tries to be smart with my son."

"Robin!" she scolds, laughing when he does the same and assures that he's just kidding. At least, it seems this is starting to be easier for him, and good, because that will turn things easier for Roland. It'll be better if everyone is on good terms, if they can relate without fights. Roland will feel much better about this whole thing, "I think we should just get out of here so you can clear your mind. Can you drive me home?"

"Of course, milady," he smiles, placing his hand on her lower back and guiding her towards his car.

Regina's smile grows every time he calls her that name, reminding how she used to scold him when he called her that in public. But now she can't say she minds, she kinda likes it, but she also likes to tease him, and before she can regret to think about replying with something that will certainly remind him of their time as best friends, the words are out of her mouth before she can stop them, "Don't even think about call me that in front of people again."

###

"So, what does a man have to do to convince you to accept a coffee?" Robin teases as he parks the car in front of her house, killing the ignition and turning completely to look at her. She's staring at him with a puzzled look on her face, probably due to what he just said, and it makes him want to tell her to just forget it, or at least that he didn't mean that way. He just wanted to invite her for coffee because he has the rest of the day off and really wanted to make her feel better about what happened on the court, he didn't mean to make her upset or uncomfortable. So he really feels bad for that, for almost cross the line that, unfortunately, exists between them, so he shakes his head, lets his forehead hit the steering wheel as he asks, "I'm an idiot, aren't I?"

"No, I mean..." she quickly replays, offering him a reassuring smile in an attempt to make him feel better, "I'm just thinking that I probably should try and get some work done, but I have time for a coffee. Do you want to come in?"

That puts a smile on his face. It wasn't his intention to make her invite her to her house (he was actually thinking about taking her to a coffee shop - the weather is warm and really pleasant - and that way they could talk and enjoy their free time together), but this is good too.

"Are you sure?" he asks, watching as she nods and assures that it's fine, "In that case, I'll gladly accept the invitation," he answers, unfastening the seat belt and leaving the car to walk towards her side and open the door, "Lead the way."

Regina smiles, taking his hand and getting out of the car as well. She walks through the gate, towards the front door of her house, while she fishes for her keys in her purse and places it on the lock to let them in. The door is opened without much force, and since when she didn't lock the door this morning? The answer is quick to be answered when a shout of _'Mom!'_ echoes through the house.

"I think you have company," Robin smiles, stopping behind her as she freezes at the door. She doesn't seem glad to have someone waiting for her, even if Robin's pretty sure that that someone is one of Regina's sons. She looks really surprised, nervous even, and he thinks if maybe walking into her house with a man following her is an awkward situation to explain to her boy. Maybe he shouldn't have led her to invite him to her house, perhaps he had put her in an embarrassing situation. She probably thought they would be alone, it's almost lunch time and any child should be at school right now.

He notices how tense she is, how her body language changes all of a sudden. She's keeping him from entering, completely frozen at the door as he remains on the porch, doesn't rush her. Instead, Robin remains quiet, tucks his hands inside his pockets and thinks if he should ask her if she wants him to leave, give her time with her son. Yes, he should do just that, he actually feels like he's intruding somehow, "Regina, maybe I should-"

"Mom, don't you hear me calling?"

He was not expecting what he sees. Was waiting for a little boy, a six-year-old, at most, that would run through the foyer to greet his mom, and probably a sitter rushing behind him to greet Regina as well. But never a preteen. Never a boy protesting with his mother and probably almost old enough to be alone at home until his mother shows up from a busy day at work. He has to have at least ten years old, and if he's ten, then...

"Oh, hi," the boy peeks from behind Regina, frowning when he sees Robin standing on the porch. This will definitely be awkward for everybody, especially for Regina for getting the tricky part to explain to her son why she's bringing a man he never saw before into their house. He watches as she clears her throat, turns around to offer him what he sees as an apologetic smile, and her eyes are almost watered, as if she's about to start crying all of a sudden, "Who are you?"

"Henry, can you wait in your bedroom?" she interrupts, her voice turning into a stricter tone as she adds a ' _now_ ' when the boy is about to protest. He watches as her son turns around and heads upstairs, his hazel eyes locking with Robin's when he stops one last time in his tracks. There's something about this situation that doesn't seem right, the way she looks at him when they are left alone in the foyer, or how the mood between them changed in a flash. He doesn't even want to think about how her nerves seem to take care of her, how weak her voice sounds when she addresses him with an "I'm sorry."

"Regina..." his eyes look behind her, to the table with a small frame over it, a frame with a picture of _his_ Regina, the Regina he knows, long dark hair and nineteen years old, pregnant, and the realization hits him. She'd left college ten years ago, probably because she had gotten pregnant, and they had slept together a few months before that, without protection or anything that could keep that from happening. And now her reaction, how she froze when she realized they weren't alone. But he'd been in her house before, how he didn't notice that picture or every other from the boy that are hanging around the house? He only had eyes for her, had ignored every evidence that had been always right there in front of him.

His eyes lock with hers, just for a moment before he tears his gaze away from her. He never thought she could do something like this, hiding someone so important from him, and had left just with the intention of doing just that. But she did it. She did it ten years ago and had done it again when they reconnected because Roland's custody.

His eyes are filled with pain when he looks at her again, his voice almost a whisper, "Is he..."

"Robin," she almost reaches for him, her hands stopping before she could touch him when he takes a step back. She's already crying, he notices, but he'll not fall for that now, not after she'd done this, "He's your son."

* * *

 **Thanks for all the reviews, I'm happy you liked the last chapter and I hope you liked this as well, it's an important one. Let me know what you think! :)**


	8. Chapter 8

Chapter 8.

"He's your son."

The words are out of her mouth before she can stop them. Not that she wanted to, this lie had lingered between them for far too long now and she can't handle it anymore, not now that she has to face Robin almost every day due to Roland's custody. But she knows that once this truth is out, everyone will suffer from it, her, Henry, Robin... and this could have been avoided, could have turned out differently if they haven't been so stupid ten years ago, both of them.

She probably should've trusted him, she realizes, the tears running steadily down her cheeks, his doing the same. She keeps thinking what she'll do about this situation, if she should introduce them now after all this time, knowing too well that Henry will hate her, will look at her just the way Robin is looking right now, and she can't stand it, not from her own son, at least.

But she knows she'll have to tell him. She can't keep hiding this from anyone else, especially from her son. He deserves to know.

She lets out a sigh, wipes the tears from her cheeks - without effect since she won't stop crying - and steps out of her house to the porch where Robin remains standing, closing the door behind her and noticing how that seems to frustrate him. Probably he thinks that she keeps trying to keep him away from the boy, and it's not even that, she just wants to make sure this will be done properly, "Robin, I'm willing to let you meet him, but-"

"I _have the right_ to meet him," he points out, sounding really upset, hurt, but he'll not meet Henry right now, not when he's like this and she didn't even talk to her son about the whole situation. He has a say in this, is old enough to express his opinion too, so Robin can protest, complain, but she'll not introduce her son to his father without talking to him first, she just won't do such thing.

He lets out a breath, turns his back to her, and brings his hands to his face, placing his elbows on the railing of the porch before turning to her one more time.

She's a mess too, he notices. She's crying more than him if that's possible, and she mutters a ' _Robin..._ ', an almost inaudible one that doesn't do much to draw his attention.

"Do you know what I don't like?" he continues, outraged, his tone rising until she's scowling at him, "That my chances to see both my sons are in your hands!"

Regina shuts her eyes, his words are like knives, "That's so unfair," she cries, can't help it, she really feels bad about this whole thing. But it's all her fault, she supposes, and even if she knows he doesn't really think she'd do something on purpose that would make him lose Roland - it's just the anger talking - it hurts to hear him saying those things, as if the worst had happened and she'd lost his trust. Well, she lost, it's not the same as before, that's for sure. She should've known this would happen, should've stayed away from Robin, but of course, she would let him get close to her again, of course, he'd be driving her to her house in no time.

"Is it?" he raises his brows, challenging, "You kept me away from my son, how do I know you won't do the same with Roland?"

"It's different!" she looks shocked, even if she shouldn't, but this is a completely different situation, she has no reasons to push his younger son away from him, and she's sure he knows that, knows very well how hurt she had been when she saw him kissing Lacey right after them-

"I won't meet him today, given the circumstances, but I _want_ to meet him," she sees the anger in his blue orbs, mixed with the pain, as he stares at her before taking a deep breath. She gives him a moment too, eyes red and watered from the crying, and sees him walking down the few steps on the porch, stopping in his tracks to turn to her and address her one last time, "I almost lost a son today, I won't let the same happen twice."

"Robin..." she sobs, "Please."

But it's useless. She keeps watching him until he's inside his car, until the only sound on the street is the one from his vehicle leaving her behind, and then she walks into her house once again, going straight to the kitchen, towards the coffee machine. She won't surrender to the alcohol when her son is home with her, will not risk Henry to see her in such state, but a strong coffee will do, and will keep her company as she rethinks about this situation.

It's terrible. And happened on a terrible day, when Robin lost the physical custody of Roland to his ex-wife. Now she feels even worse for hiding this from him, for being a hypocrite and fight for Roland when she kept Robin away from his other son.

She should've trusted him, and not just now, but ten years ago, when Emma had advised her to tell everything to Robin, even if she felt so insecure about telling him the truth. He was clearly not in the mood for a serious relationship, nor for raising a kid at his twenties. Apparently, he wanted to enjoy life, enjoy his youth, and having a kid at that time would definitely ruin his plans.

So she had saved herself from a rejection and had raised her son all by herself, had been lucky enough to find Daniel a few years after.

She pours the hot beverage into a cup, taking a deep breath. Hiding that from him was not the best decision. They wouldn't have to be together, they just needed to know how to share the parenting. But at the same time, she didn't want her son to grow in that environment, the type of environment that includes frat parties and nights out with every willing girl. At that time, she didn't want Henry to become his father, but now that she met Robin, she can't help think she was, apparently, wrong. Robin is a good person, and a good father, and probably she will have to admit that she was wrong about him.

But then there's the other side. The one that keeps making her ask herself if Robin would be this good person if he'd discovered he was a father at twenties.

How would she know that he wouldn't reject both of them or make her give Henry away?

She would never do that, and would suffer even more to know that he didn't want to have anything to do with them. So this way had been the safer, the wrongest too, but there's nothing she can do about it right now. Nothing but be willing to make it up for her mistakes, allow Henry to meet Robin as long as the boy is okay with that. She should talk to Henry about it, know what he has to say, but she just needs a moment to herself, to pull herself together and give her son the talk he deserves. Honest and straightforward.

She can't say she's not concerned about his reaction - of course, she is, is concerned that he'll not take this well, that will reject Robin or be mad at her because she hide this from him - but they will have to talk about this sooner or later, and it's just better if he sees how Regina is trying to make an effort to fix this situation. He's ten, so he probably doesn't even understand the extent of this, but is half the battle if he shows her he wants to meet Robin. Robin already let her know he wants to meet his son.

She tries to put herself in his place and think about what she'd do if this had happened to her (it's almost impossible, but still, she tries to imagine if someone had appeared with a ten-years-old and told her that the child is hers).

She'd have the same reaction. Would be pissed, hurt, would want to be a part of the kid's life from now on, since she'd already missed the first years. But would want to do this properly, not push herself into the child's life without any preparation.

There's not even a point to be thinking about this - it's not like it could happen, and she's not Robin. He can think differently.

She thinks about Roland, about him and his father together, Robin's reaction when he realized he'd lost somehow his son today. That had turned this situation even worse at his eyes, she's sure. It was as if he was being pushed away from his kids in the same day.

If she loses his case, Robin will probably accuse her of doing that on purpose (if he's not thinking that already).

She'd never do something like that, make him lose Roland's custody, and she'd done everything she could about today. It was almost impossible to win what they wanted on the first appearance, but nevertheless, she'd fight with what she had, had given the judge the document where it was explained that Robin was the parent who usually picks up Roland from school.

She was right when she saw Robin's name on the paper: this would turn her life upside down.

And it did. And the proof of that is that she's here, seated on a bench in her kitchen, crying over the fact that she can lose everyone who proved to be an important part of her life. She likes Robin. She sees that now, after he'd left her house hating her. She's falling for him again, and now she ruined everything. How did she think that she would be able to hide Henry from him, she has no idea, but it seemed easy a few days ago.

She's so stupid, so stupid to think she could have both Robin and Henry in her life at the same time. It wasn't an option (she can see that now), she would never be able to keep a friendship with the father of her child without blow up the cover she'd been building for ten years now.

So she feels really ridiculous, for having let Robin get too close, thinking they could recover what they lost in their teenage years. Now it's clear that they are not able to do that, he's not the same boy and she's not the same nineteen-year-old girl from their days at college. Both had been through too many things, things that changed their way to deal with this type of situations.

She remains seated at the counter, sipping what's left of her now-lukewarm coffee, too busy thinking about everything to noticing when Henry comes looking for her, frowning when he sees she'd been crying.

"Oh, honey, I'm sorry, I didn't see you," she wakes from her reverie when he places a hand on her shoulder, standing up to place her cup in the sink and wipe her tears. The last things she needs is Henry getting even more nervous to see her like this, or start to make his own assumptions about Robin and think it was him who left her in this state. It wasn't, exactly, it was the overall situation, and it would be even worse if her own son thinks himself has something to do with this. Because he doesn't, he was just caught up in the middle of her and Robin's reckless behavior.

"That's clear. And you also left me in my room waiting for you," he points out, making her feel even worse.

"I..." she starts, not really knowing what to say, but she owes him an apology, she thinks. She hadn't forgotten, but he certainly feels like she had. She was just trying to gather the courage and pull herself together before the talk with her son, the moment when she knows that she will have to let him know about his father, "I was just thinking. I'm sorry."

"You were crying," he corrects, and _damn it_ , so much for her son to be less perceptive, especially when he can put two and two together and asks, "Who is that man?"

Great, within minutes, the talk is already about Robin. She didn't even have to get there.

"He's my client," she tells him - because it's not a lie - and takes the seat beside Henry, reaching for his hands to pull him closer to her. She just wants to protect him from the truth she's about to tell him, wants to assure him she didn't do this to harm him. Nor him, nor Robin, neither of them, "But I actually have something to talk to you."

She feels him stiffen under her embrace, and the courage she had is almost drained from her when "He's your boyfriend, isn't he?" comes out of his mouth.

She actually laughs at that, at the way he arches a brow when he confronts her with that question. Of course, he'd think she's trying to tell him about a new man in her life - he had seen them arriving together at their house, had seen how dumbfounded she had become when she saw Henry running into them - so it was the most likely situation, he'd never imagine what the truth really is.

She shakes her head, removes the locks of hair from his hazel eyes and assures, "No, he's not, it's a little different than that," but Henry just seems even more confused with her explanation.

"Henry, do you remember when I told you Daniel was not your biological father?" she starts, watching as he nods carefully. She had told him because she didn't want to lie to him more that the necessary, would not make him believe in a lie about something so important as who his father is. Hide Robin from him is one thing, lie about Daniel is another completely different and something she wasn't willing to do.

"Yes, you told me he couldn't take care of me, so I had Daniel instead," he remembers, sitting in her lap even if he doesn't really fit there anymore. He's so grown up, and she just wants to go back to the time when he was an eight-year-old, and she was sharing her pregnancy of Dylan with Daniel, the whole life ahead of them.

"I told you that, didn't I?" she wraps her arms around his waist, her chin placed on his shoulder as she sighs, "That wasn't completely true."

He shifts slightly to look at her, his expression turning into a frown. She was already expecting this, that her son will be mad at her when he knows the truth. He loved Daniel, but Robin is his father and both should have had the choice to be in each other's life. Now that will happen sooner or later, she supposes, but it's not the same. Will never be. Robin will never get the chance to see Henry say his first word or take his first step, will never see him grow right from the beginning.

Henry looks expectantly, waiting for her to elaborate, so she takes a deep breath, fights to control the tears that already threaten to fall, and explains, "It wasn't like he couldn't take care of you, he didn't get the chance," she stops, fixing the grip on him, "Henry, I... When I was pregnant with you, I made a choice, I was selfish and because of that, your father didn't get to know you. I don't want you to think he abandoned you, it's that... I made a choice for him and chose to raise you all by myself. Why it doesn't matter, what matters is that he knows about you now and he cares for you..." she lets a single tear fall from her eyes, her arms gripping tightly around her son's body. She loves him so much and can't stand the thought that he will probably get resentful with her, "The truth is, your father wants to meet you, and I will not get in the way if you want that too."

He moves off her lap, then, his eyes focused on something on the counter that seems more appealing now than really face her. It's happening, he's already pushing himself away from her and he didn't even meet Robin. What if he will want to live with him? What if he'll be the 'cool' and 'new' parent and Henry wants to make up for the lost time? This will have to be done properly, and they can't forget about Dylan and Roland that, consequently, are trapped in the middle of this too, "Henry-"

"Can I have a moment to think about that?" he interrupts, taking a step back when she reaches for him in an attempt to pull him closer to her. He can have all the time in the world to think about this because, he's old enough to make a decision, but he's still a ten-year-old who just was told that he has a father out there that wants to meet him. Not even Regina knows how to deal with this.

"Of course, but, Henry," she calls him, stopping him in his tracks when he's about to leave the kitchen, "You know you can talk to me, right?"

Both have too much to think about, and Henry eyes her for a second, before turning his back to her and walk out of the room. Regina remains there, staring at the door and thinking what she'll do now that the truth is out.

She reaches for her purse, for her phone, and opens the window for the messages, Robin's name popping up immediately, as she starts to type:

 _I just told him everything..._

 _I hope we can solve this without too much damage._

 _\- Regina_

###

It's the fifth glass of scotch he drinks, not the best company on a weekday, especially if he wants to keep sober, but he doesn't. Doesn't really have reasons for that - has the rest of the day off, and is all by himself, just has Roland for the weekend - so it's probably not the best idea, but it's not the worst either. He has nothing between him and this drink, and he really wants to clear from his mind the fact that Regina had been lying to him for ten years now, hiding the fact that he has a son.

He has a son. A ten-year-old boy.

He should want to be a better man and don't give, both Regina and Marian, reasons for them to keep him away from his boys, but here he's, sipping on this glass of whiskey and letting it take the control of the situation.

He's a moron, but that doesn't make him stop. What makes him freeze is the sound of notifications on his phone, a message from Regina appearing on the screen. Just what he needed, a reminder of her and of their situation, but he can't say he's not curious to know how the boy reacted when he reads that she'd already told him everything.

He should answer and show he's interested, it'd be nice, but he's drunk, and who knows where this can go if they start to have a conversation with a hot head. So he places the phone back on the table and is back to nurse the cup with the beverage in his hands.

He spins the glass between his fingers, an attempt to avoid to drinking it, and thinks about the boy watching him intently... Henry, isn't it? _Bloody hell_ , he didn't get to choose his name.

He likes it. Henry, sounds good, but he should've got the chance to pick his own son's name. At least, he had a say in Roland's.

His thoughts are effectively interrupted when the sound of the doorbell echoes through the house, making him wince at the shrill noise that causes his head to protest.

He's not expecting anyone, and he really hopes it is a mistake, otherwise he'll receive whoever is at the door with a spinning head and a booze in his breath. He doesn't care, it can't be anyone important and a man has his right to have these moments.

Robin leaves his seat at the dining table and walks towards the front door, making the mistake of open said door without seeing who is on the other side first. Marian, with a bouncy Roland holding her hand. Just great.

He sees how she studies him, a look of annoyance and anger crossing her face.

"Marian? What are you doing here?" he asks, leaning against the doorframe to support himself.

She shakes her head, throws him a look that's meant to replace the words of judgment she's dying to tell him right now, but Roland is right there beside her, explaining that he can have lunch with his father at the same time he jumps up and down, the movement causing Robin's head to pound. It's a good thing he didn't finish that cup.

"I thought I would pick him up from school after the appearance and surprise him with a lunch at his father's house, but," she bites, her gaze shifting to Roland, "I guess we can't count on his own father."

"You didn't think about call me first?" he replies, because he doesn't leave according to Marian's plans and despite he loves Roland and wants to be with him, it can happen things like today's, when even himself can admit that he's in no condition to watch the boy. In his defense, he wasn't even expecting him and now he'll be the bad guy who has to give his son the bad news.

"I didn't expect to find you drowned in liquor," she counters, her voice dropping a tone, aware of Roland's curious eyes, "This will not be a repeat of that night in your parents' house, will be?"

He brings a hand to his face, rubbing his eyes, and curses himself for letting the situation take care of him and not the other way around. He has to be pretty unlucky to have both things hitting him on the same day - the realization that he has another son, and the loss of Roland's physical custody to Marian. She'll never forget him about this, and now he's almost sure she will think twice before leaving Roland in his house. But he's not a bad father, he's just human, and as like with everybody else, these things affect him. It's not like he can't take care of his own son.

"I can even admit I'm a little... tipsy, but I know my boundaries and I accept that I'm in no condition to have him today. We'll make up for it on the weekend," he winks at Roland, a little messy, but it works to make the boy laugh, at least.

Marian doesn't seem pleased at all, is scolding him with just her gaze, and maybe they should have a talk about this another time, when every word they say is not being heard for their son. She sighs, crouches to be at the boy's level, her eyes like daggers towards Robin before she turns to Roland, "Daddy's not feeling well today," she explains, picking him up in her arms as she returns to her standing position and shifts her gaze to her ex-husband, "And we'll have to see about the weekend. Maybe I don't even need you to watch him."

"Marian, I can have him for the weekend," he protests, gives her a warning look, "We agreed on that-"

"We agreed that this..." she shifts Roland in her arms until she can gesture towards Robin with her free hand, "That this wouldn't happen again, remember?"

Robin lets out a defeated sigh, because yes, he remembers, but he also remembers that he promised he wouldn't drink around the boy, and today, Marian was not even supposed to bring him to his house, that's the truth.

"This was a one-time thing," he assures, trying to pull himself together since he can't forget they are still talking in front of the boy, "My day have been... more than complicated and I got a little carried away, but I didn't know you will stop by and ask me to watch him for the day," Marian's expression softens, but he's not sure he had been able to convince her just with that, "I apologize. I'll call my mother if you still need someone to have him this afternoon."

She raises a brow, scoffs a laugh, and then there she's, attacking him again, "Yes, because she's the one who takes care of Roland when his own father sees himself in a situation like this," Robin wants to protest, but she's right, he supposes, and he doesn't even have time to open his mouth before she's addressing Roland, "What do you say? Do you want to see nana?" Roland cries in happiness, lets his mother know he's more than willing to stay with his grandparents as his brown curls bounce when he nods his head, putting a smile on both Marian and Robin's faces. He gives her a thankful look, but her smile just drops as she returns her gaze to Robin, telling him he doesn't have to worry about calling his mother because she'll do just that, "I'll spare her from any worry that can come from listening her own son like this. Despite our divorce, I still owe many things to your mother."

"Thank you," Robin says, truthfully, watching as she tells Roland to say goodbye to his father before they make their way towards Marian's car once again.

This was not the impression he wanted to give to the woman who has Roland's custody in her hands, who decide when and how he can see his own son, but now he'll have to deal with it, he supposes, and he knows that he'll be very lucky if this won't be mentioned in court.

###

After two days ignoring Regina's calls and texts, Robin thinks it's better if he listens to what she has to say, especially after the text she sent him the night before.

He had been already ready for bed, ready for letting the sleep claim him, when his phone buzzed on the bedside table, pulling him away from the sleep and from what could've been a good night of rest.

It wasn't, not even close, because when he reached for the device, he had the words he dreaded and anticipated most popping up on the screen, along with Regina's name in bold letters:

 _Already have an answer from Henry._

 _Let me know if you really want to do this._

 _-_ _ **Regina**_

His heart beats frantically in his chest as he reads the words over and over again, trying to read between the lines and understand what the boy's answers can be. If he doesn't want to meet him, Robin will be devastated, but will not blame the boy since he didn't even know Robin is his father as well. But he'll definitely blame Regina. It's her fault that they had been pushed away from each other, her fault that his boy had been raised by another guy. At least he thinks he was, he's almost sure Regina has a baby from what he could gather from their talk on the phone the other night.

Either way, if Henry wants to meet him, he'll be thrilled. Will want to cause a good impression, of course, but on top of that, will want to start to be a father for the boy, no matter how long it takes for Henry to allow him to do that.

So that's the reason for Robin to choose to hear from Regina, for him to be walking, at Friday afternoon, to the cafe where they had the first meeting - Marian had gone back on her word and had ruined everything Robin had in mind for his weekend with Roland, so he was free. She didn't even give him the chance to protest, since she'd made a point to remind him she has Roland's physical custody. Robin was already expecting the moment when she'd use that against him.

He tries to focus on the present, on the fact that probably Regina is already waiting for him, and speeds up his pace, glances into the coffee shop as soon as he spots the place a few meters ahead of him.

There she is, near the window, seating at the same table he'd chosen the other day.

He walks into the building, immediately towards the spot where she is, and places his jacket on the back of the chair across from her, startling her with the movement.

"I'm sorry, I didn't mean to surprise you," he says, out of politeness rather than really sympathy, maybe just a bit of that (a lot).

She smiles, shakes her head as she dismisses it, but he'll not get carried away by that smile, no matter how beautiful it may be. It used to assure her she get him wrapped around her finger (just like Roland when he does his puppy eyes), but not anymore, not now that he knows what she'd done. He can see the regret in her expression, the pain, the concern, the anxiety. He'll have to make a huge effort to don't give in to her charms, but she'd made him suffer, indirectly, and he may forgive her someday, but will not forget.

"It's okay," she replies, "I'm glad you gave me an opportunity to talk to you."

"You said you told him everything..." he says, looking at her, "How did he react?"

"He's mad at me if that makes you happy," she answers, wondering how it will be when her son meets Robin. He'll love him, she's sure - who doesn't like Robin? - and it's not a bad thing, of course, not, but she has to admit that she's having difficulty to think that she has to share her baby with someone else. She's not used to. She's being a single mother for a year now and, regarding Henry, she'd taken care of him the two years before Daniel appeared. So they have a special bond.

"It doesn't" Robin assures, "Because, what I think you didn't understand is that he's my son too. So I want to see him happy and not fighting with his mother," she nods, sighing in defeat and bringing her hands to her face. Since when she's the victim and Robin feels this urge to make her feel better? "He probably needs time."

Here he is being a softy, his weakness when it comes to Regina, but they had shared a really strong friendship years ago, and it's just hard to think she'd do something like this to him, hard to believe she'd make this life decision for him.

"He needs," she agrees, because it's not just him. Everyone needs time to learn how to deal with the situation, "But I think he's ready to meet you."

Robin's eyes widen at that, and he doesn't even know how to take that news. It's good, really great, but... will Henry like him? Will he meet the boy's expectations? Will he be good enough to play the role of his father? All questions popping up in his head every time he wonders how it will be their encounter. But if he wants to meet his son properly, Robin will have to push those worries away from his mind. The boy will probably be nervous too, and is his job to make sure he eases the kid's mind, it will not help if both are a nervous wreck, "I'm free this weekend so..."

"What about Roland?" she asks, frowning, and _oh, right, she doesn't know he doesn't have the boy with him anymore_.

"Marian doesn't want me to have him," he sighs, remembering what had happened the day he lost his younger son's custody and had discovered he has another son. He would prefer to don't mention that to Regina, they are not exactly friends and now they are just getting along for the sake of the issues they have between them, so he settles for, "She doesn't need it anymore."

"Oh, Robin, I'm sorr-"

"So, this weekend?" he interrupts, the mask quickly back on him.

Regina just nods, and he's glad she doesn't try and ask any more questions. His situation with Marian is something he'll have to tell her before they go to court in two weeks (she's his lawyer, after all), but he hopes it will become easier to talk to Regina with the time. Now it just hurts, more than he could think it would.

"Yes, but, Robin..." she draws his attention, looking him in the eyes as she says, "I know that things between us are... far from well, but... do you think we're able to leave that away from Henry?"

"You have my word," he nods, tells her it's better if he leaves. He doesn't want to spend more time with her than the necessary, they are both hurt and right now, being with each other it's just torture. He can't stand the thought that she'll return home to their son, and he can't even do that. His house will be empty when he arrives, no Roland, no Henry, just a noisy rodent, spending its time on the small wheel, "Text me the details."

"I will," she agrees, at the same time he stands up and gives her a nod before walking towards the door.

It will not be easy, it can even be a failure, but at least now he leaves with the consolation that he'll meet his son.

* * *

 **Here's the new chapter! Thank you so much for the reviews and I hope the first part of this chapter help you to understand Regina a bit better. Any doubt, don't hesitate to ask, though we'll still have 'the conversation' :P**

 **I hope you liked and please tell me what you thought! Who's ready for Robin and Henry meeting? :)**


	9. Chapter 9

Chapter 9.

It's eleven o'clock on Saturday morning when the bell at the door rings to announce the arrival of Regina's little family. And like every time she walks into that diner, Granny leaves her talk with her granddaughter to walk towards them on the other side of the counter, urging Henry to slip into the kitchen and stole some of the cookies she knows the brunette's sons love. Regina thanks her for accepting to watch the baby on one of the busiest days of the week, but the old lady assures her to not worry about that, that Ruby will watch him without a problem.

Henry is already in the kitchen, picking up one of the take-out bags, and turning to his mother with an inquisitive look on his face, silently asking her if he's allowed to take some cookies home with him too. He knows she'll end up accepting, will allow him one to eat now and the others to take home with them.

"Are you sure he'll not bother her?" Regina asks, moving her hand up and down Dylan's back to tighten her grip around her son. She looks behind the old lady, at the girl helping Henry with the cookies, and she seems less than pleased with her plans for a Saturday, even Regina can think of better things to do on the weekend than really staying home watching her two-year-old cousin, "I can take him with me, it's not really a problem."

"Nonsense," Granny dismisses, wrapping an arm around Henry when he's back to their place on the counter with a sack full of cookies and Ruby just behind him, "Ruby doesn't mind watching him. It's way better than stay here helping me the whole afternoon, right? You and Henry enjoy your lunch."

Regina watches the young girl nodding slowly, at the same time she types on her phone with a sad expression on her face. It's not helping to make Regina feel better, everyone would rather enjoy their weekend than being at work, after all. And she's young, playing babysitter is not really her definition of fun, "I really don't mind to watch him."

"I know," Regina assures, smiling warmly, "But it's Saturday, and it appears that someone on the other side of that phone was waiting for you," Regina smirks and adjusts her grip on Dylan, watching as Ruby smiles sadly at the device in her hand before she puts it in the front pocket of her apron. It doesn't seem she'd be able to get out of here even if Regina didn't have asked them to watch her younger son, and she really feels bad for that, but at least there's something she thinks she can do to make her feel better, "You know, Dylan likes the park... I'm sure he won't mind more company as long as your friend doesn't mind too. If you don't have to stay here and help, of course."

Regina doesn't like to put that decision in Granny's hands, doesn't want the old woman to feel bad if she has to say no, but she just shrugs, looks behind them to a blonde girl wiping a table and answers, "I think it's okay. I have Ashley for the day."

"Really?" Ruby's eyes lit up at that, thanking Regina and her grandmother, at the same time she picks up her phone and starts typing quickly on the device while she walks to the room in the back.

Regina feels good to be able to do this for Ruby, she's a good girl, and if she has this opportunity, why losing it? She seems really happy to just be able to, at least, enjoy a little of her weekend, and Regina knows that work on a restaurant can be really stressful.

Granny is staring at her from the other side of the counter, throwing her an inquisitive look, to which the brunette just shrugs and answers with a "She's a good girl."

"Thank you," Granny smiles, sympathetically, "I don't really like to have her trapped here at the weekends, but sometimes I just really need her help."

And it's understandable. They have a diner that its open most of the days and it's usually full of hungry costumers. She'd do the same.

Ruby is back a moment later, already freed of her apron and with her purse on her shoulder, and then stretches her arms to pick up the baby.

"Alright, mommy loves you," Regina kisses Dylan's cheek, who mutters an ' _I love you, mommy_ ' before she hands him to the girl, "You'll be good for Ruby?"

"Oh, he will. You'll be my pick-up weapon," the waitress addresses the baby, receiving a laugh from Regina and a strict call of her name from her grandmother.

Regina watches as she leaves the restaurant, and then follows right behind, wrapping an arm around Henry and making her way towards her car.

###

She wouldn't think she's late. She's not - it's a quarter to 12 PM, and they had agreed to meet at noon, but he's already there, and that means she won't have a single moment to prepare herself before this moment. Worse than that, she won't have a minute to talk to Henry about it, make sure he's really okay with this whole thing, but at least she thinks he is. Is handling it a lot better than her, that's for sure. He doesn't even seem nervous, is not his usual talkative self, but it's just normal before such an important moment. He's probably just gathering everything in his head.

She, on the other hand, is a nervous wreck. Her palm is sweaty against Henry's shoulder and her stomach is protesting both from hungry and nerves. At least they had chosen a familiar restaurant, one of Henry's favorite pizza places, so she has clear expectations about the food, and she knows that, at least, she'll be highly pleased about that. Nothing like tasty and unhealthy food to make the situation a little bit better. And the restaurant is... pleasant. They use to go there plenty of times, just for the reason that it has a game room right beside it, and Henry loves it, of course. But she'd already settled that, there are no games today, because they are here for Henry to be with his father and would be less than polite to leave him to play a few games (and because Regina doesn't really want to be left alone with Robin). He'll have a lot of opportunities to play, and just this one time to meet his father for the first time.

They walk through the glass doors and are immediately surrounded by the smell of home-made pizza, another reason for them to like this place, it's not fast-food, not precooked dinner, just delicious and tasty pizza, cooked in the moment. She'd already spotted Robin, but she stops herself and Henry in her tracks anyway, remaining standing at the spot where they use to wait for a table - _They should inform the waitress they already have someone on a table waiting for them, right?_

It doesn't take long for Henry to see Robin too, sitting at a table near the further wall, his blue eyes scanning the menu in his hands. Regina's sure he hadn't seen them yet, so that's why he probably seems... relaxed, not completely, but not the nervous wreck she was expecting. But maybe it's because, just like her, he thinks it's still early - great minds think alike and, this time, they thought the same thing: arrive early to have a moment to themselves. Not happening, then.

Regina stiffens immediately when Henry leaves her embrace to turn to face her, frowning just the same way she does, and letting her know he recognizes Robin from the day he drove her home.

She sighs, and cups his face in her palms, caressing his cheeks with her thumb, "We don't have to do this today if you don't want to."

"I want to," he replies, taking a step back to leave her touch. It makes her heart break, but she deserves it, she supposes, she'd hidden Robin from him for ten years.

It doesn't take long for them to be interrupted by one of the waitresses, asking if she can help them to find a table and motioning for one of the empty seats near the counter.

"Oh, no, I'm sorry," Regina answers back, "We are here with someone."

"Oh, then, go ahead," she moves to the side to let them walk further into the room.

Regina moves first, and then Henry follows her, taking her hand in his that works to settle her mind even if just a little bit.

###

The restaurant is a child's paradise, but is quite pleasant. There are little lights on the walls, mimicking shining stars, and artificial planets hanging on the ceiling that give the whole place a space theme (it makes Robin smile and think of Roland, and in his current obsession over Buzz Lightyear, to which Robin can't understand why the astronaut seems more fun than the cowboy - movies are powerful, so much that Robin already knows he won't be able to leave this place without finding the spaceman action figure Roland has been asking him for). There's even a big entrance to a game room, impossible to go unnoticed with the huge spaceship beside it and the neon lights over it.

He watches the kids running all over the place, and the parents trying to stop them from spending more money on the games, and he thinks he has to bring Roland here someday, allowing himself to believe that he'll be able to bring Henry along with them. His older son will know him from now on, and he has to present him to Roland, he supposes, they are brothers, after all. As long as Henry feels comfortable with that, Robin will be more than pleased with the idea, looking forward to the moment they will be able to be a real family.

The feeling of being watched is what draws Robin's attention from his own thoughts as he reaches for the menu and scans the options. He'd shifted his gaze to the entrance briefly just to spot Regina talking to the boy, but had looked away immediately when they started to speak to the waitress and then make their way over his table, his eyes still on the piece of paper in his hands when he feels the distance between them increasingly small, until...

"Hi," she greets, and Robin curses himself for being completely short as he answers her back.

"Hello."

It's the nerves, he comforts himself, that are making him act like this, not giving the boy any reassuring as he sits on one of the chairs across from him, leaving the one directly in front of Robin for Regina to settle herself.

Ten years, they have ten years between them at this moment, and it's not a lunch in a fun restaurant that will allow them to recover the lost time. But now, he has to do his best to make up for it, he's the father, and Henry needs to know he'll be able to rely on him.

Regina, for her part, is just standing there, looking more lost as ever. Nerves, Robin reminds, and he waits until she removes her jacket and puts it on the back of her chair, telling Henry to do the same until they are all gathering around the table, an uncomfortable silence surrounding them.

Is Robin who speaks first, "So, I'm Robin."

"Henry," the boy replies, shaking the hand his father had stretched out to him and offering him a shy smile. It's cute, and so similar to Regina's that makes Robin smile himself.

He draws his hand back and says, "I'm sorry if this is a little awkward."

"A little," Henry agrees with a nod, adding a "But it's not your fault," that makes Regina clear her throat and reach for the menu Robin had placed on the table in front of him. It's not, but the last thing he wants in this meeting is his son and Regina fighting to prove their point, he doesn't even want to talk about this issue, not today, not in a restaurant full of families around them.

Robin's eyes shift between the boy and his mother, and he offers her what is meant to be a comforting look, without even know why, but this is who Robin is, apparently. A sap. Regina just sighs and looks down at the paper in her hands one more time, trying to pretend it doesn't affect her, but of course, it does. Robin knows how the approval of the children is one of the most important things for the parents. He feels the same with Roland, had felt the same every time his son had asked him why he didn't live in their house anymore. As if he'd abandoned him.

But he pushes those thoughts away from his mind and focuses on the child he has right here in front of him, and just replies him with a "That's something we don't have to discuss today," hoping it will be enough. It is, apparently, but now they are just surrounded by another wave of an uncomfortable silence, and they should be meeting each other, should be starting to try to know more about one another.

"So," Robin starts, focusing his attention completely on the boy as he sees by the corner of his eye how Regina seems to relax a little bit, "Do you usually come here? I could use some help to choose my lunch."

"Yes, I like this one," Henry leans over the table to show him the pizza with pepperoni he uses to order. At this point, it seems a really good option, but Robin chooses to wait to see the other things the boy has to show him, scoffing a laugh when Henry finishes with, "Mom just makes her own pizza because she's just that picky."

"I'm not," Regina protests, and it's incredible how the children have the ability to just forget everything that was bothering them before, to just focus on the present. Henry even laughs when his mother tickles his side and explains that she just likes to decide the amount of ingredients her pizza will have.

"Picky," Henry shrugs, addressing Robin and sitting back in his chair when the waitress come to their table to write down their order. Henry's happy to do the honors, ordering two pizzas with pepperoni for him and Robin, and allowing his mother to ask for her 'make your own pizza'.

The waitress is out of sight in no time, menus in hand, and suddenly they are left with nothing to focus their attention to, nothing but each other.

"So, Robin," Henry breaks the silence, his arms crossed above the table, eyes focused on him. It's the first time Robin is looking at him properly and notices his brown eyes just like Regina's, just not quite as dark as hers, and pretty much the same hair color as himself. He seems serious, and it's terrifying, but he probably has so many things he wants to know and ask about who Robin is, and he's really willing to answer all his questions. Robin pushes away the nerves he's starting to feel for being in the spotlight like this, but gives him a genuine smile when the boy addresses him with, "Who is your family?"

"Well, I have a four-year-old, his name is Roland, and my parents," he answers, searching for a reaction from the boy, since he just told him he has another son.

He doesn't see much, Henry's expression softens, but he doesn't show any emotion as he questions, "I have a brother?"

"Yes-"

"Why didn't you bring him?"

"Henry," Regina warns, probably knowing how this is painful for him. But it's a valid question, _he should be able to be with his boy, shouldn't he?_ But unfortunately, it's not up to him anymore, so all he can do now is try to explain his messy life to his ten-year-old son, and hope he will understand and won't run away from him.

"It's okay," Robin clears his throat, preparing himself for what lies ahead, and then notices something different in Regina's expression, the way she stares at him with an apologetic look on her face, or maybe it's just really pity, and Robin won't have that, it's not like his life is such a mess that even the mother of his other child, who chose to hide his son from him for ten years, has to feel bad for him. _She didn't feel bad when she discovered she was pregnant and didn't tell him_ , "You see, me and his mother are trying to find the best way to split his time between us, it's a bit rough, so that is where your mother comes in, she's trying to help me to have more time with him."

"Oh, I hope you can get it," Henry offers, and it's good to hear that, especially coming from the boy. Even better when he adds, "I would like to meet him."

Robin smiles, because he'd like that too. But that's something he'll have to discuss with Regina first, and not because of Henry, but because of the whole situation about Roland's custody and the impact that will have on court when they would have to explain why Robin was pushed away from his other son for ten years. Certainly, it wouldn't be good, especially when said son is his lawyer's kid. It makes him hate the situation even more, makes him wonder why Regina chose to do this back in college.

"What about me? Will I have to split my time between you two?" the boy continues, shifting his gaze between his mother and Robin. Well, that's a bit forward, not that Robin doesn't want to, but he didn't get the chance to speak to Regina about that. He notices how she seems taken aback by that question, he's too, but with this whole conversation about Roland, it's just normal, Robin supposes. He'd just told him he has a son and is fighting with his mother to have some time with him, it must sound terrible, but Henry's situation is different, and despite Regina had been capable of pushing them away when their son was just a newborn, he doesn't believe she'll do that again now that they have met.

"We didn't talk about that yet," Regina intervenes, placing her hand on Henry's back, "You already met Robin and now... we'll go from here and see how it goes."

"Alright," he mutters, and Regina sits back in her chair, just in time for their food to arrive.

They relish in the comfort of their pizza for a little bit, leading them to safer topics of conversation such as what is their favorite food - to which Henry assures Robin that he loves pizza, but there's nothing better than his mother's lasagna - apparently, he should try sometime, in the boy's words. Is becoming increasingly easier to be around Henry, he's pretty smart and funny, and easy to talk to, and Robin just wished he could have been present since the beginning, to see him learning everything or just drive him to school on his first day. He would've been the prouder father there, not that he's not proud of Henry now, he is, especially because he grew up without knowing his real father and had grown to be an honorable kid, but it's so different from what could've been their life if they were together since the first moment.

Henry tells him about his school now, and Robin listens every detail, imaging the day he can be the parent to whom Regina will call to replace her when she won't be on time to be present in one of the parent-teachers conferences. He pictures the moment when will be him to pick him up from classes, and he almost wishes he could do just that this very week. But he won't ask Regina to let him do that, because he's a reasonable man and it could even be uncomfortable for Henry.

Eventually, Robin learns that the boy has a baby brother, and they talk a bit about Dylan, but thankful for Regina, they don't get to the part where they have to talk about Daniel's death, because they are interrupted by two cheerful kids, bouncing towards their table. They are twins, Robin notices, a boy and a girl, and they are a bit older than Henry, so he must know them from his school.

Regina knows them, apparently, she greets them and waves to their father seated a few tables away from them, and Robin waits until the inquisitive eyes of the two children are focused on him, not having the chance to speak before Henry is already introducing him as his father. Well, that's... unexpected, but good, he thinks, if it wasn't for the puzzled look on the girl's face.

"I thought your dad had died," she points out, and Robin notices how Regina shifts uncomfortably in her seat.

"That was my other dad, Robin is my biological father," it's all silence then, eyes shifting between him and Regina, and Robin feels a bit in the spotlight all over again. And it's not a good thing now, he doesn't know if he has to say something to end with that moment, but he doesn't even know what they are talking about. He can gather that Regina had been with someone for these past few years (if not for this conversation, he'd realized that when he learned that he has a two-year-old son), and apparently, that person, who was a father figure for Henry, had died and now it's just strange that Henry appears with someone who he claims to be his biological father.

Regina doesn't say anything, and Robin thinks it must be hard for her. Probably it's something recent.

"Oh, that's... good, I think," the girl breaks the silence, turning to Henry, "Anyway, do you want to play?"

Henry lets out a small cry of joy, preparing to leave his seat and follow after them, but stops immediately when Regina clears her throat beside him to tell him what Robin thinks it's the usual warning to be good, to return after a certain amount of time, but is completely taken by surprise when she just says, "Robin is here to be with you and-"

"Oh, it's okay. Here," Robin interrupts, reaching for his wallet to take from inside some cash and give it to Henry, "Make sure to share with them, alright?" it warms Robin's heart when Henry jumps from his seat and offers him an enthusiastic ' _Thank you!_ ', leaving them at the table as he runs after the twins towards the game room.

###

Did he... Did he just really... allow Henry to go play when she'd just told her son specifically not to?

Robin seems pleased with himself, and she almost feels guilty for being so pissed off, but he just disrespected her in front of her son, and she doesn't tolerate that. She can agree that he's his father, that he'll have a say in some decisions regarding the boy, but he can't disrespect her authority. She's still Henry's mother, after all. She may even know that he didn't do it on purpose, that he didn't mean to supersede her orders, but it's what she really felt, and it's also what probably crossed over to Henry.

It would happen someday, she supposes, she'll have to share everything concerned to Henry with him, but she didn't think it would be so soon. She's used to doing these things on her own, make the decisions, and now Robin had entered Henry's life so suddenly that she hadn't thought, until this moment, how they will be able to share these things. It's exactly one of the problems she had when she discovered she was pregnant with Henry, and it didn't go well at the time, she just ran off, so she will have to make a bigger effort now.

"Regina," Robin calls when the boy leaves his sight and he turns to look at her one more time.

She's pushed away from her thoughts, and shakes her head to pull herself together, and damn it, he looks so proud of his first meeting with his son. She's rather... apprehensive that she has to share her baby with him, she'd raised him since he was just a newborn and she'll be sad when he chooses Robin over her when he'll need to have the 'man-talks'. Of course, she'd shared him with Daniel, and he'd been a really important part of Henry's life, but deep down she always had the comfort of calling him hers, and now with Robin, he'll be just much as his as he's hers.

"Why did you send him to play?" she asks all of a sudden, not letting him answer before she continues, "He was here to spend time with you, so he should've stayed here."

"C'mon Regina, he's a kid, he wants to play with his friends," Robin replies, putting a small smile on his face to assure her he's not mad at all. He can be okay with that, but she's not, she's not okay with Robin intervening like that, and she's not okay with that smile and dimples of him...

"Well, being a kid doesn't give him the right to be rude," Regina sighs, and for a second she wonders if she sounds like her mother... the last thing she wants is to be that type of mother to Henry. Cora had always made her feel bad every time she scolded Regina in front of her friends, even if she tried her best to behave like a 'good girl' in her mother's boring parties. She was always well behaved, receiving compliments from her mother's friends, but not even one from Cora, no. From her own mother, she just received more and more reprisals and, in the 'good days', a 'you've done nothing but your duty'. And she doesn't want to be like that for Henry. He's handling this whole thing pretty well - better than her, that's for sure - and he deserves a moment to just be the ten-year-old child he is. This situation with Robin doesn't need to be as complicated for him as it is for them, "I'm sorry, do you mind waiting for him while I just... I just need a moment."

Robin frowns at that, and she knows she's being vague, but she's glad when he doesn't make any questions and just tells her to take the time she needs. She'd need a lot more time to think about everything than the one acceptable for leaving her son with the father he just met, but she'll accept what she has, and right now, she just really needs a moment to separate her problems with Robin from his relationship with their son, "I'll take care of the check and maybe you can meet us at the game room."

"You don't have to do that-"

"I want to," he assures, knowing she's talking about the check, "Now go, I got it covered."

"Thank you," she replies, leaving her seat to head towards the back. The realization she'll have to get along with Robin for the rest of her life setting heavy in her chest.

###

Robin is playing air hockey with Henry by the time Regina returns to meet them in the game room. She feels more lightheaded, and ready to face Robin playing the father role to her child, but she's not really certain that it will last, so she just really wants to get done with this meeting for today. She'd prepared herself to have a small talk to Robin, just enough to know when he wants to talk about everything, and she's just hoping he agrees to have this talk as soon as possible, not today, of course, because Henry is right there on the other side of the table ready to listen to everything, but maybe Monday - not tomorrow either because there's no way she'll give up another day with her sons to be with Robin, she haven't even had time to be with Dylan.

Henry is doing his small victory dance for beating Robin in the game, saying, "I told you, you had no chance against me," to which Robin replies that, "I wouldn't feel good about myself if I didn't try."

"What about another game?" Regina steps in, handing a coin to her son and interrupting him when he's about to challenge Robin for a rematch, "Choose another one, I need to talk to Robin for a bit."

Henry seems to understand, and looks around him to see if his favorite game 'space invaders' is free for him to play. Luckily for them, it is, so he turns around and heads towards the machine, leaving Regina waiting until he's busy trying to destroy the enemy space ships before she reaches for her and Henry's coats in Robin's arm, "Thank you, I forgot these."

"Do you want to talk?" he asks, his expression a puzzled one like every time she tells him she wants to talk to him these last few days. He doesn't look at her with his warm smile anymore, showing his dimples, and she doesn't even want to imagine how it will be when she tells him everything. It can be better, or worse, she's not sure, but it will reopen painful wounds.

"I just want to ask you when do you want to talk about this," she answers, she imagines he wants to know everything just as much as she wants to get it off her chest.

"Whenever you want to," he replies, "I enjoyed this time with Henry and I want to be able to-"

"I'm not talking about that, Robin, I'm talking about our situation ten years ago that led us to this," she explains, her heart breaking a little more when she thinks about their situation. They'll talk about Henry spending more time with him too, of course, but she wants to fix everything first and explain him her point.

He freezes, she notices that, and there's a silence for a few seconds before he replies to her, "Whenever you have time."

"Monday?" she asks immediately, avoiding the uncomfortable silence to surround them once again.

"Monday works for me," he agrees, and it's like a weight have been removed from her shoulders, "Can I meet you in your office?"

She thinks for a moment. To all intents and purposes, he's her client so he can meet her in her office. So she nods, tells him 'it's fine' and thinks for another moment before she continues, "Do you think... Do you think we can work this?"

"I think we need to talk first," he tells her, and she genuinely hopes they will be able to overcome this. It'll not be good for Henry if they can't stand each other after their conversation. It's not his fault, he was just unlucky for getting caught in the middle, so they have to deal with this the best way they can, "I just want to be with my son."

She nods, looks at the floor between them and sighs. She'd want the same. She feels so bad for having kept them away for so long. It really hurts her to think about what could've been their life if she'd told Robin she was pregnant. She never felt this kind of regret before, she just wanted to be able to go back in time and fix everything.

"I'll talk to him," she assures, "But I really think he enjoyed to meet you."

He replies her with a 'thank you', and a smile appears on his face when he spots the boy running towards them, complaining he almost break his personal record.

Regina takes a moment to allow him to say goodbye to Robin, thanking him one more time for being there today, and then they are off the restaurant, Regina and Henry walking towards her car while she watches with a sad smile on her face Robin walking towards his.

###

Regina is just finishing the dinner when she hears the footsteps down the stairs, and then Henry's face peeking into the kitchen in an attempt to check on the food.

Well, he's not lucky.

She knows how he doesn't like the chicken salad she cooks, claiming that it's not enough for him, but he had a huge pepperoni pizza at lunch, so he'll have to put up with it today. He knows the rules: a fast-food meal has to be balanced by one at least a little more healthy. She'd allowed him pizza for lunch so chicken salad it is.

She places the meat and the vegetables in three plates, Henry's face contorting in disgust at the sight of his dinner, at the same time he mutters a 'yucky', just to be copied by Dylan standing beside him.

"Language," she scolds mildly, reaching for her younger son and scooping him up in her arms, while she asks Henry to finish to set the table. Dylan's going through that phase when he repeats everything they say, and the last thing she needs is him learning those words and repeating it at the daycare, "It's not yucky, it's good," she addresses the baby, putting him in his high chair.

"It's rabbit's food," Henry protests, earning a role of eyes from his mother as she helps him with what's left of the dishes before they sit at the table, "So... what's with you and Robin?"

What? Where did that come from? She was expecting any question about their meeting today, any question about Robin, but not this one, not one that implies that her son had picked on any tension between them. She'd made sure to don't let anything get to Henry, she doesn't want to make this any more difficult to him, but he's smart, and he knows her well, and she'd been completely tense the whole time at the restaurant, "I'm sorry, what?"

"What happened between you two, that he didn't get to know me when I was a baby?" he insists, and she doesn't believe he should know the whole truth, he's still ten after all.

Her body stiffs at the memory, her hand reaching for her glass of water in front of her. He should tell him he's not old enough to understand the situation - she's the mother, and she knows what's best for him - but she knows that won't do to satisfy his curiosity, it will just help to let him even more determined to figure out what had actually happened between his parents. So she should tell him that, but she won't, because he has the right to have an explanation, even if it's not the full version of the story.

She struggles to find the right thing to tell him, takes a long sip of her water to give herself time to think about it, before she settles for the short version - that's not completely true, but it's not a lie either, "What happened was... we were young, and we didn't think about the consequences of our actions, and I already explained to you that I was selfish and wanted to raise you all by myself," she takes a bite of her food, sighing when Henry drops his fork and focuses completely on her.

"Yes, but why?"

"Well, are you not particularly insistent today?" her voice gets a more strict tone, meant to make him drop the topic than really scold him, "I don't think it's fair to Robin if I have this conversation with you, so try to ask something else."

The words make Henry remain quiet for a moment, eating his food and glancing at her from times to times with his puppy look on his face. She might try to change the topic herself, it's not like she can't talk about Robin, but she can't talk about this part of her life and not with her son of all the people. She didn't even speak with Robin about this, about her reasons for doing what she'd done, so she won't talk with Henry first and mess the things even more if her son decides that, after he knows the truth, he doesn't want to see his father anymore. She should give Robin a chance, at least when it comes to Henry.

"I just... I just need time to get used to all of this. I'm sure you need it too," she explains, hoping this will be enough to end the conversation, or to at least change it for something better... easier, "Do you want to see more of Robin? Get to know him better?"

There's a silence at first, as Henry remains quiet, probably thinking about his options, but then he just asks, "Will you let me do that?" his tone more of an accusation than really questioning.

"Of course," she replies immediately, because she's not trying to be the bad guy here, she's trying to fix the mess she caused ten years ago, "I won't keep you from being with your father anymore as long as both of you are okay with it."

Henry's face softens, his frown exchanging for a more relaxed expression. He's starting to realize she's really making an effort about this, that she's trying to make up for the ten years she stole from them, "It's okay by me," he nods, takes a bite of his food before he asks, "What about his other son, will I meet him?"

Regina thinks for a moment, that's not something she can decide for Robin, but his case it's far from solved, and any change in the boy's life (such as a brother) will have to be mentioned to the court, which can be a good or a terrible thing, and she's sure that being away from one of your children for ten years will not fit the good side, "I can't decide that, but you have to promise me that you'll be patient, Robin may not be able to introduce you two just yet."

"I will, I promise," Henry replies, standing up to take the seat beside her.

"Are you mad at me?" Regina asks, wrapping an arm around her son's waist, almost sighing in relief when he doesn't flinch at her touch. Things will get better for them. With everything that happened, Henry is more than entitled to be mad at her, but he seems to understand her side, and that it's all Regina can ask for now, for not being pressured to talk about this with her ten-years-old, a month away from being eleven. She was lucky enough to give birth to the best kid in the world, she thinks. He has a lot from Robin in his personality, she can see that now.

"I'm not," he wraps his arms around her in a tight hug, and Regina just holds him close to her, placing her cheek on the top of his head and relishing in the moment for just a bit. Now she knows she will have to share this with another person, that person being Robin Locksley, but she's not bothered as long as she'll have a hug like this one every once in while, and the assurance that her son is okay despite the situation they see themselves in.

###

Regina puts the last dish of the dinner in the dishwasher and sighs in relief. That day had been exhaustive for everyone, both physically and mentally. She's still trying to get used to the image of Robin playing with Henry, and she's sure it shouldn't mess her up as much as it is. It's 10:00 p.m and she didn't even put the children to sleep, not even Dylan. She's tired and she wants to rest herself, but she doesn't want to go to bed knowing she'll not fall asleep and will just spend the next hour or two thinking about the meeting. Maybe she should talk to someone about it. Will put them to sleep and take a bath, and then maybe call Emma and let her know everything. She'll listen.

So she wipes her hands on the dishtowel and goes to the living room to check on the boys, facing the image she was already expecting, her two sons sleeping on the couch, Henry with the tv remote falling from his hand. They were tired, of course, and the sight just makes her feel a terrible mother for don't attend to her kids before the housework. At least Henry is already dressed in his pajamas, Dylan isn't, but it's definitely easier to dress a two-year-old while he's asleep than a boy Henry's age. It'll be already difficult to carry him to bed, she hasn't carried him in years... Well, she hadn't seen Robin in years too, so it seems the world is trying to make her relive the past.

She does her best to make him comfortable as she pulls her son into her arms and makes her way towards his bedroom, Henry's feet almost touch the floor as she walks, but she ends up finding a way of carrying him without waking him up, until she places him in his bed and places a kiss on his forehead, muttering an "I love you," before leaving the room.

She heads towards the couch again, reaching for Dylan this time - it's way easier than Henry, that's for sure - and walks towards the baby's room, collecting his pajamas on the way.

It's hot, it's July, she should just let him sleep in his diaper, but then she thinks twice, and she really doesn't want to wake up in the middle of the night to make sure her son is warm enough to don't get a cold in the middle of the summer, so pajamas it is.

Her task is interrupted when the sound of her phone ringing echoes through the house, loud enough to be heard from the kitchen where she'd left the device, just with the purpose of not being interrupted - It appears it's not enough and it'll probably end up waking the whole house if she doesn't rush to shut it.

So she places Dylan in his bed then, before running towards the kitchen to grab the device, and presses the answer button as quickly as possible before she could even take a look at the caller id, "Regina Mills."

"Hey there, it seems years since the last time I talked to you," Emma's voice reaches her ears, and Regina almost sighs in relief to hear her friend's voice again. It seemed years indeed. When was the last time? Probably the day before Robin's appearance at the court, and that had been five days ago. With everything going on, she didn't even have the energy to call Emma, but it's a good thing she called, Regina can use some advice and she really needs to talk to someone.

She giggles, realizing how she'd missed talking to this woman, "Well, we wouldn't have been this whole time without talking to each other if you had called me the day you left Henry at home alone," the brunette teases, and even with the whole explanation Henry already gave her about the reasons for Regina find him home all by himself the day she returned from court with Robin, she still doesn't understand how leave a ten-year-old alone seems a good idea. Just in Emma's head, that's for sure, "Why was my son all by himself the day I went to court. You know... this past Wednesday?"

"Because he's a smart kid, is growing up and can take care of himself?" Emma replies, the guilt clear in her voice as she tries to come up with an explanation to the boy's mother.

"Try again."

It's because Emma sometimes seems to have Henry's age, that's the reason. All it took was the boy's puppy eyes and pleads that he didn't want to remain at Granny's a little longer waiting for his mother, for Emma to give him a lift home and leave him there all by himself because she had to work. Regina can't say he's not able to take care of himself for an hour or two, that he's not smart enough for that, but he's a kid, and look where it took them. To Robin finding out he has another son.

"Look, Regina, I'm sorry. He didn't have the last class and he waited an hour for me at Granny's before I could pick him up. And you said you'd be home by lunch time, so I figured he'd be alright for an hour. He's not a baby anymore," Emma explains, making Regina sigh heavily at the truth. No, he's not a baby, he's almost a teenager who will start to ask her to hang out with his friends, and she won't be able to do anything about it. She just wanted to have him under her wing for a little more time.

"You're right, I'm a mother hen," Regina agrees, "But I ended up inviting Robin for my house that day and he saw Henry."

She's not sure what Emma will pick up on first, the fact that her secret of ten years had been completely exposed or that she'd invited Robin to her house, meaning their relationship was getting, at least, a little bit better. _Was_. Past tense, now had just been ruined all over again and it'll be even worse when he shows up at her office Monday morning to talk about everything.

There's silence for a moment, before Emma's ramblings of "Did Henry...", and "How Robin..." and then, "Wait, why did you invited him to her house?"

Of course, that question would appear. It's way more important to discuss her relationship with Robin than the fact that her son had just met his biological father.

Regina lets her have her way for a few seconds, allows her to picture the whole story in her head before she interrupts, "Emma, focus," and she feels her stomach turn at the silence between them. Maybe it was better when she was just talking, at least there was a little less tension in the air, "Henry and I had lunch with him today and I can really use a supporting hand."

Regina's voice gets lower as she explains the situation, and Emma must have noticed that because she doesn't sound so nervous anymore, sounds more as she feels bad for her friend and Regina doesn't want that too, "I'm so sorry-"

"Don't," the brunette interrupts, leaving the kitchen to return to Dylan's bedroom where she'd left her son half dressed in his pajamas and covered with a blanket. She'd thought she'd finish the call quickly enough and return to him in no time, but apparently it will take more time than she expected, and she doesn't want to steal more time of proper rest from her two-year-old, "You should've seen them together, Emma, I felt..." she sighs, at the same time she finishes getting the baby dressed, putting Dylan in his bed and sitting beside him, "I felt like I should have given him a chance of being a father for Henry."

"What about now?" the blonde replies, "Will they see each other again?"

"Both want it," Regina answers, and she knows what comes next, "And I can't keep that from happening a second a time, can I?"

No, she can't. And, really, she doesn't want to. She wants Henry to have a father, and now she has the certainty that Robin is a good man, not the twenty-year-old he was at college. He's a father now, and she has seen that he's trying his best to win Roland's custody, and he'll be good for Henry, she can say that just from the little time they spent together this afternoon.

"You guys have to talk about that."

"We will, he'll meet me at my office Monday afternoon," Regina assures, her hand moving to push away Dylan's dark hair from his face, before she walks towards the hallway, heading towards her bathroom, "We'll talk about it later, I don't want to risk to wake up Henry and have him overhearing everything."

She's glad when Emma doesn't ask her any more questions, just agrees with her and wishes her a goodnight before hanging up the phone.

She places the phone on the counter beside the tub, filling it with hot water, and reminds herself that she still has another day without Robin to enjoy, she still has Sunday between them and she can enjoy it with her sons without having to worry about anything.

It doesn't work to ease her mind, but at least she's trying.

* * *

 **Here is the new chapter. Thanks for all the reviews and for the patience, I know how waiting for OQ to be together can be stressful :P**

 **I'm glad you're liking this story, let me know what you thought about this chapter or if there's something you would like to see in this story. I'm counting to write their talk on the next chapter.**


	10. Chapter 10

Chapter 10.

Monday morning, Robin wakes to the high pitched ring of his cell phone, a lot earlier than he was expecting to wake when he'd taken the day off to meet Regina in her office in the afternoon. He was expecting to catch up on his rest this morning, and he was really positive that he'd accomplish that, given that he doesn't even have Roland to drop at the daycare. But then he sees his mother's name on the caller id, and the worry immediately drags him out of the bed, because there's no way his mother would call him this early in the morning if she didn't need anything. He just hopes it isn't something bad.

He sits at the edge of the bed, pressing the answer button on the device's screen, and brings his phone to his ear, answering with a sleepy and anxious 'Mom, is everything okay?' to which he just hopes the answer is not a bad one.

"Roland is sick," she tells him, and he immediately starts picturing the worse scenarios in his head, if he doesn't remind himself that his mother does tend to exaggerate when it comes to her grandson.

"Sick how?"

"He has a fever and is coughing a lot, Marian just drop him here before work."

It has to be serious if she didn't take him to the daycare, Robin thinks with a frown, but he doesn't even have time to ask anything else before his mother is talking again, explaining, "He keeps asking for you."

Of course, he's asking for his father, they don't see each other since Wednesday afternoon when Marian had taken him to his house and had found Robin out of himself, due to the amount glasses of scotch he'd drunk that day. He's an idiot, and it's his own fault that Marian doesn't even bother to inform him that his son is sick, or even ask him if he can watch Roland for the day. She goes straight to his mother and Robin can't even blame her for that, "I have the day off, tell him I'll be there in no time."

He hears through his phone the sigh his mother lets out, and Robin already knows that a conversation is in the cards for them, he just hopes he'll be able to spend at least a bit of his time cuddling with his son, "Alright, drive safe, Robin, he's in good hands."

This pisses him off. The fact that Marian always drags his mother into these situations and it even has to be Roland's grandmother to inform him that his own son is sick. A part of him believes Marian should just grow up and overcome their differences when it comes to their son, would be easier for everyone, but then he knows that at Marian's eyes, he's totally irresponsible, but he can't really tell her what led him to those glasses of scotch Wednesday afternoon, can he? Can't tell her about Henry.

He quickly puts on some clothes, fetches a coffee for himself - doesn't really want to waste time cooking something to eat - and grabs the bag with the Buzz Lightyear action figure he'd bought the day he'd met Henry at the restaurant, before he rushes into his car to drive fifteen minutes towards his parents' house.

He almost doesn't have to ring the bell before his mother is opening the door, urging him to enter and greeting him with a tight hug and a pleasant, "How are you?"

"I'm fine. Roland?" Robin asks, following his mother through the hallway.

"He's better, I think, your father is trying to keep him entertained."

He hears the old man's voice right before he enters the living room, and Robin's lips tilt up in a smile when he spots his son sitting on his grandpa's lap, a blanket over them while his father reads for the boy. He has his head placed on the man's shoulder, and Robin struggles between letting them with their story for a moment longer, or interrupt them to announce his presence.

He chooses for the last. His son had asked for him and he'll have to leave him with his parents again while he goes to see Regina, so he should just take advantage of the time he has with him, "How's my boy?"

Roland turns immediately at his voice, quickly forgetting about the story as his eyes light up and he stretches his arms towards Robin, yelling an excited "Papa!" that causes his cough to attack one more time but does nothing to spoil his enthusiasm, "I missed you."

"I missed you too, little man," Robin replies, picking him up in his arms and holding him close.

They spend the next moment just like this, with Robin hugging him tightly and moving his hand up and down Roland's back, while he brings his lips to the boy's temple to check his temperature, informing his mother he's still warm enough to have some fever, "Do you think I should take him to the doctor?"

"No! No doctor, papa, please."

As the father, he should tell Roland that he'll take him to the doctor if he needs it to, that he doesn't have to be afraid because they just want to make sure that this is nothing more than a cold, but his mother had told him that she'd just given him the medicine not even an hour ago, so he gives in to his pleas and allows him a little more time to see if the medicine takes effect before he rushes towards a pediatrician.

"Alright, do you think a surprise will make you feel better?" Robin asks, reaching for the bag he'd brought with the toy and sitting with him on the couch. There's that light in Roland's eyes as every time he's presented with a gift, and it's even better when that gift is covered in wrapping paper and give Robin the opportunity to watch his son unwrapping it with happiness showing all over his features.

And he does just that, rips the wrapping paper to reveal the spaceman his son has been asking him since he saw it in the movie, it even has some of the lines recorded in the toy, bringing the action figure to life when Roland presses the button on the figure's chest and parrots the words. He loves it, and Robin feels glad for that, watches as the boy's smile widens and announces an excited, "It's Buzz!" and then hands the box with the toy to his grandfather when he asks what he got. It's the perfect moment for Robin to sneak into the kitchen with his mother, Roland will be entertained for a bit explaining the story of the spaceman to the older man, so Robin places him back on his father's lap, asking if he'll be okay to play with his grandpa for a little bit.

He waits until Roland nods, then makes his way towards his mother, wrapping an arm around her shoulders and leading her towards the kitchen. She immediately moves from his grasp towards the fridge, placing a box with eggs beside the stove, and reaches for a pan on the cabinet, already letting Robin know he'll not get out of there without a proper breakfast. He can't say he wouldn't eat anything if his mother offered him, but he's not really hungry and he doesn't want to give her even more things to do after Marian had decided that she has to take care of Roland, even if his own father is free to do that.

"If you're planning to cook for me, don't worry, I'm fine," he assures, leaning against the counter. Despite his insistence that she doesn't need to make him breakfast, Robin already should know that his mother would insist that he has to eat. She throws him a 'not buying' look, one that tells him there's no point in arguing with her, and focuses on beating the eggs, at the same time she heats a bit of butter on the pan.

Scrambled eggs, Robin loves it, and there's no way he can refuse _his mother's_ scrambled eggs. But he knows why they are here, and it's not because of the breakfast. So he finds himself thinking about a way to start the conversation about Marian, thinks on Henry and how he will explain the situation to his mother, but she has the right to know, after all, she's the boy's grandmother.

With a defeated sigh, Robin asks her if she doesn't need any help, and takes a seat at the counter when she assures that she has everything under control, "Thank you for watching Roland, and for inviting me to spend some time with him. That is becoming increasingly difficult every day."

She knows what happened the day on the court, knows Marian is the one in charge of Roland's physical custody, but she doesn't know about the incident on Wednesday, and now will have to be Robin to tell her. The good news is that she'll hear it from him, won't have to be subjected to listen from another person how her son had drowned himself in scotch and wasn't even capable of watching his kid.

Robin feels his stomach protest at the memory. Feels an idiot, but there's still a part of him that continues to believe that he can't be punished for that. It wasn't his day to have the boy, so he wasn't expecting Marian to show up at his door with their son.

He watches as his mother places the plate with the meal on the counter and takes the seat across from him, studying him carefully before she decides what to reply him with, "What did you do?"

He was already expecting that, he supposes.

"I... I got carried away with everything that happened," he answers, pulling the plate closer to him and taking a bite - it's delicious, just like he remembers her mother doing when he was younger, and it works to ease his mind, at least, works to carry him to the time when he didn't have any type of concerns, "I found something that day that... really hurt me, and I guess I didn't choose the best way to deal with my problems. I had a little more drink than I intended to and then Marian showed up with Roland on Wednesday."

His mother winces and shakes her head, gives him a disapproving look and answers him with even more disapproval in her voice, "You were drunk in front of your son."

"Marian didn't call me to know if I could have him for the day, she just showed up all of a sudden, I didn't expect her to want me to watch him," Robin defends, even angrier now than he was that day. Now he can think straight, and despite he knows he probably should've tried to control himself, he also knows Marian didn't do the right thing either, "I was supposed to have Roland for the weekend, but after what happened, she didn't let me. And now she just... she doesn't talk to me."

"You have to agree that alcohol is not the answer to whatever the problem is," she reasons, and he knows his mother is right, she always is, "But I understand you thought there would be no consequences because it was not your day with Roland. The problem is, is not enough if I'm the only one to believe you wouldn't do that if you had your son with you."

"You know I wouldn't," he quickly assures, as if that was enough to get him out of that situation, "Roland is the most important thing in my life."

"What did you find that day that made you forget that so quickly?" she asks, her gaze focused on him so deeply it makes him feel slightly cornered, images of Henry running towards the front door of Regina's house appearing in his mind as he tries to come up with the right words to tell his mother.

"You remember how close I was to Regina in college?" he waits until his mother nods before he continues his explanation, "There was a night when we... were together, and we didn't really protect ourselves. Some things happened after that, but I never really understood why she'd quit college and had stopped talking to me. Turns out that she was pregnant and never wanted me to find out."

His mother remains in silence, trying to absorb all the news Robin had dropped all of a sudden. It can't be more difficult for her than it was for Robin, but he knows this affect her as well, he's her son, after all, and nobody wants their children to go through what Robin had to overcome. Living without knowing he has a son out there, probably being raised by someone else.

"What happened to the baby?" she asks, and Robin realizes how his explanation must've sounded to his mother, as if something bad may have happened or if Regina had given him up.

It hurts him even thinking about those options, even if he knows Henry is healthy, and a great kid and the pride of any father.

"He's doing pretty well, actually," he smiles, remembering how they had gotten closer just for the little time they had spent together on Saturday, "And far away from being a baby anymore."

His mother's eyes widen at that, tears prickling the back of them as her lips tilt up in a sad smile, "That means you..." she sighs.

Robin knows what she means: if he'd met him already, and now he can say he had. He'd been hurt (he still is) with Regina, but now all it matters is being able to be with Henry, and he's glad his mother is not trying to push them away from each other anymore. He imagines the day he'll be able to present him to Roland, to his parents, "I want you to meet him."

"And I want to meet him," his mother assures, "But I can wait until everything is sorted out. I want you to do things properly and think about the boys in the first place. And then you have to think of you, I'm sure things with Regina are... complicated."

That's one way of looking at it.

"I never thought she'd be able to do something like this," he explains, adding, "I cared deeply about her, I..."

Robin remembers how hard had been when she chose to stay away from him back in college, now he knows why, but at the time he always thought it had been because of that stupid kiss, that it's probably even one of the reasons for her to have chosen to keep the baby a secret. It doesn't seem reason enough, though, he could have been a good father even if they were not together.

Still, he can admit that his mother is right when she says that "I think you never stopped caring about her," and that, "it's probably because of that that you feel even more hurt about the whole situation," she grabs his hand, then, intertwines her fingers with his, and explains, "I think Regina left a scar in your life way bigger than you want to admit."

Robin's sigh is all she needs to know she's right, but he still doesn't understand how his mother is not even a little upset. She can't be, by no means, satisfied with the fact that Regina had pushed her away from her grandson.

"How can you forgive her so easily? She stole ten years of our lives," Robin asks carefully, because he doesn't believe she's understanding the extent of the situation. He could've seen his son born, could've picked him up in his arms just minutes after Henry had been brought to the world, could've celebrated the boy's ten birthdays.

She moves from her seat, her hand moving to rest against Robin's back as she explains, "I'm not trying to defend her," she assures, "I just think you need to realize that a lot of the pain you're feeling is because she broke your trust. You're angry because she hid your son from you, of course, but all the pain is because Regina was important for you and she betrayed you. You won't be able to enjoy your time with the boy while you'll look at him and remember what his mother did. You'll feel angry at her every time you are with your son, is that what you want?"

"What do you suggest?" Robin asks, because if his mother is so certain about that, she must have a solution, "Don't ask me to forget, I'll always be cordial with Regina, but I'll never believe she'd the right to do what she did."

"You've so many things you should talk to each other," she points out, feeling how his shoulders fall in defeat as he lets out another sigh, "Maybe you should talk about yourselves before you start making decisions about your son."

Robin stiffens at that and fiddles with his fork, in an attempt to mask his discomfort at that idea, "All I care about now is Henry. The last thing we need is starting to dig around the past and find more things to make everything worse."

"You need to get things straightened out with her," she says, with a certainty in her voice that makes Robin believe in his mother's words. What if he doesn't want to do that? What if he'd rather ignore her and live his life with his sons?

Deep down, he knows he doesn't want that, doesn't want to end in court like it's happening with Marian. Regina is not that type of woman, and that would just mess with Henry's life, meaning Robin had just shown up to turn his life upside down. So yes, he should straight things out, even if that doesn't mean that they will be friends or have any type of relationship, he just has to learn to not have a grudge against her, that way he can enjoy his time with his son without thinking about Regina, just like his mother was telling him.

So he tells himself that she's right and admits, "We'll talk about it today," the corners of his mother's lips tilt up in a smile, as Robin rolls his eyes before a smile of his own appears on his face, "That doesn't mean you're right and we'll be a big family, I'm just... willing to hear her."

His mother's hand squeezes his bicep, in a silent signal of approval right before his son enters the kitchen, holding his new Buzz Lightyear toy under his arm, "I don't want you to think I'm not by your side, I just want you to be happy."

"I know that," Robin assures, focusing his attention on his son, then, and reaching for Roland to pick him up in his arms, "Did you tell grandpa everything about Buzz?"

"Yes, he wants to see the movie," Roland replies, earning a chuckle from the blue-eyed man as if he didn't know who really wants to watch the movie for the thousandth time.

He'd finished the talk with his mother, most of it, at least, so he readjusts the grip on his son, so he can have a free hand, and moves to clean his plate at the counter as he agrees, "I think a movie is a great idea."

###

He's late.

They finally agreed to talk about everything that happened ten years ago and he's late.

He'd wanted to leave his mother's house earlier, was ready to do that and meet Regina in time, but Roland had insisted that he wouldn't fall asleep for his nap without his father beside him, and it wasn't like he could say no to his boy. He's sick, and Robin probably should've stayed at home taking care of him, but he knows his son is able to sleep a good two hours in the afternoon, maybe a bit more when he's like this, so he thinks he can return to his mother's house before Marian shows up to pick him up, maybe would even be there to have a conversation with his son's mother.

But now he has to focus on Regina, and on how this conversation will unfold without cause too much damage. He'll certainly try and follow his mother's advice, but is her office a really good place to talk about these things? Probably not, but he's already taking the lift to her floor, his fingers hovering over the numbers on the panel.

He waits until the elevator doors open in front of him, walking the few steps between him and the desk in the lobby as he hears the woman's "Robin Locksley?" to which he answers with a nod of his head, "Mrs. Mills is already waiting for you."

She doesn't need to remind him of that. They'd agreed to meet half an hour ago, so of course, she's already waiting for him, there's no need to make him feel bad about his delay. This is in his interest too, he supposes, thanking the girl before walking in the direction of Regina's office.

He was not expecting to be faced with another man as he opens the door. Another man in a suit, maybe a co-worker, exiting the room. Maybe she's busy, he's late after all, and he doesn't want to interrupt if she has another compromise, even if he doesn't really want to delay this anymore.

"Do you want me to-" Robin starts to say, but is interrupted by Regina, gesturing for him to come in and assuring him she'd already finished the conversation with Sidney, at the same time she throws her co-worker a look that says she wants him to leave them alone. This will happen, then, the conversation he'd been picturing in his head, always wondering if Regina's excuse to do what she'd done will be a good one. He'd prefer if she has a good reason than a really selfish one, would like to believe she wouldn't do this if she didn't _need_ it. Robin watches as she reaches for the mug with the coffee in front of her, an excuse to earn a few more seconds of awkward silence as she brings it to her lips to take a sip, but Robin won't have any of that, he knows how their situation is complicated, and to tell the truth, he doesn't really want any tension between them to get to Henry, so they should talk about this as soon as possible, "I'm sorry, I'm late, Roland is sick."

Regina's expression changes immediately for one of concern, because this is Roland they are talking about now, and Robin knows how his son had been able to knock a few of her walls down.

"Oh, how is he?" she asks, "Do you have to go home? We can talk about this later."

No, they can't. They can't talk about this later, because they will be always delaying this conversation if they start to find reasons for that. He's willing to give her an opportunity to explain herself, but he can change his mind just as quickly. She, for her part, doesn't seem too much keen to explain him everything, and that just makes Robin wonder if this will make him be even more upset with her.

He shakes his head at her question, presses his lips together, his eyes focusing on hers, and assures the boy was better when he left. She seems so genuinely concern about his son, that makes Robin wonder if he's not being unfair to her, if she's just asking if he needs to go home because of his son and not because she doesn't want to talk to him, but what she was expecting him to believe? It was she who messed up, maybe she doesn't want to remember those days of her life.

She clears her throat, keeps her hands around the mug in front of her, and asks, "Alright, how should we start... this?"

He hears his mother's voice in his head: ' _Maybe you should talk about yourselves before you start making decisions about your son_ ,' and he thinks that maybe they should start from the beginning, then, and he knows what the beginning is, another tough situation that led them to this, "I shouldn't have slept with you."

He didn't want to start being so rude, but well, it's the truth.

"Robin," she protests, arguing that it was her choice, that he didn't force her to do anything, as if that was enough to excuse his actions and how she should've told him everything before they've been together. He's not saying that she is entirely innocent, because she certainly isn't, but both are guilty and he's reasonable enough to understand that he should've stopped when he could.

"You gave me something I will never be able to repay you for."

"I made my choice," she tells him, keeping her fingers around the mug and making it spin, trying hopelessly to find another thing to focus her attention to than his blue eyes, "I was well aware of what I was doing," she gives him a reassuring look, not wanting to stick to this subject when they have other things to talk to, so she finishes with, "I don't see it as a mistake or a regret."

He meets her gaze then, but he looks doubtful. Certainly not so sure about this whole thing as her, "We were drunk."

"That doesn't mean I didn't want it."

"You ended up pregnant at nineteen," he points out, "With _my_ child."

"I did," she agrees, and her gaze drops to the table, says, "It was tough at the time, but... I don't look at Henry as a mistake."

He gives her a pointed look at that, and thinks that he also doesn't look at his son like that, but he could've been a product of a real relationship, not of a one night stand that pushed them away from each other. He won't side with her on this.

"Of course, he's not a mistake," he replies to her, "But he could've been born in a better situation if we'd talked about everything instead of just sleep together the first time we saw ourselves alone in your room. I could've been part of his life."

He wanted to be with Regina too, just not that way, he thinks defeated. He really liked her, and they could've done everything properly, could've had a really strong relationship if they had just talked to each other. He should've told her he loved her before getting on a bed with her, he let his needs take care of the situation instead of focusing on his feelings. And Regina had done the same, instead of telling him it was her first time and then that she'd found out she was pregnant. She'd dropped college then, probably already with the intention of hiding everything from him, and he never heard from her until now.

She always wanted to hide that child, he realizes, his hand tightening the grip on his phone, which he chose to have always with him in case his mother called because of Roland. He always thought it had been his kiss with Lacey that had pushed them away, or even the fact that he'd left her the morning after they had slept together. Never this. But he still doesn't understand why she never told him. They wouldn't end up like this, seated in her office, talking about the wrong things they did in the past. It's just funny how Henry seems to be the less wrong thing that happened to them. It's just the situation that was wrong. Robin wouldn't even have minded being a father at his twenties, as long as they were together. Would've learned how to do it.

But she had chosen to do it all by herself, and that he can't accept.

"You should've told me everything," Robin sighs, unable to understand what has he done so bad to make her punish him like this. And not to mention how she didn't think of Henry as well, subjecting him to grow up without a father when he had one that would try his best to be a good role model for him.

His eyes shut at the thought, trying to stop the tears that prickle the back of them, aware that she's doing the same. Her hands are grasping tightly the mug, her lips pressed together.

"I'm sorry," she tells him, and Robin lets out another breath, thinks when they will just get through the apologies and get straight to the truth. It's painful, he knows that, but they will have to get there, he supposes, even if she looks genuinely sorry for all of this, more than he was expecting her to, considering that it was her who had made that decision ten years ago.

"When did you find out you were pregnant? Was before you leave college?"

She shifts her gaze from him, her eyes focused on the desk surface, unable to face him as she admits, "Yes... I dropped college because I needed to find a job to support me and the baby."

Robin scoffs, not because it's not acceptable, but because he should've been able to help her to take care of that child. Maybe if both of them worked a part time job, they would make enough money to raise a baby and keep studying at the same time. She chose that life for her, she had other options. He's being a fool to even blame himself for not helping her at the time, she didn't want it, what could he do?

"You lied to my face even after you know you were pregnant," he accuses, "I wouldn't accept, either, if you told me you find out after you dropped college and you never saw me again, because you should've tried to find me, but this..." he clarifies, "Facing me while you already knew you were carrying my child its... even worse. And even now, after all these years, you'd let me get close to you again and I can say you weren't planning to tell me about Henry."

A tear runs down her cheek at his words, despite she knows that what he's saying it's the truth. She wouldn't tell him about Henry if he didn't find out, at least for now. She frowns, asking herself the same thing: Why?

"I couldn't help myself. I was scared when I saw your name on the paper, but I got so comfortable around you. I think I just missed have you close."

It was the same that happened to him. He just wanted to have her close once again, but he wasn't trying to hide a secret at the same time he tried to fix things between them, he was being genuine. She shouldn't have given him wrong signs and expectations that she was welcoming him again in her life, she knew he'd get hurt.

"I missed you too," he offers back, because it's the truth, "But I wouldn't do that if I have the certainty that you would get hurt if you got close to me. Or at least, I would tell you-"

"I know," she interrupts, "I was afraid."

"Why?" she could have trusted him, she said she felt comfortable around him, and one more time, he curses himself for feeling good around her too. Deep down, she's still the same Regina he fell in love back then, genuine, a fighter, stubborn... So stubborn that after everything she still doesn't want to open up with him. He imagines it hurts her to talk about it because she seems genuinely sorry, but they have to, it's the only way Robin can get over this and start to focus on his son, just like his mother had told him. So, this is what she tried to explain, not that he possibly still has feelings for Regina, but this feeling of an unfinished business between them. That's why he can't even get over her, maybe his relationship with Marian was already doomed because of that, because he always felt that there was no closure regarding his relationship with Regina. He has been lying to himself for ten years, have been lying to Marian, "Don't you trust me?"

"I do," she watches as Robin shakes his head, because if she trusted him as she says, she would've told him. She wouldn't have hidden this from him. She wouldn't have let him get so close to the point where he cares about her feelings just as much as he cares about himself. It's bullshit, "But I was afraid of what you could do."

He feels his heart breaking a little more at her words because he never, _never_ , gave her reasons to doubt him, not now, not in college. He was always an open book when it comes to her and maybe he shouldn't have trusted her so much as he did. He was the idiot in all of this.

"Is this the same reason that led you to hide you were pregnant? Because you were afraid of me?" he still doesn't understand how she was able to lie to him when they were best friends, now is one thing, but when they were so close? He doesn't get it, and he doesn't know if her silence it's a good or a bad thing. His heart beats frantically inside his chest, almost loud enough to be heard by any person in the stillness of the room, "Tell me what happened," he asks her, begging with his eyes, "Tell me what made you lose your trust in me."

"It was not you," she explains him, now understanding that it has been more because of her, because of things she believed at that time, than really Robin's behavior. He'd done nothing wrong.

"But you _did_ run from me," Robin tells her, needlessly.

"Because I thought you didn't want anything to do with the baby. I thought you wanted to enjoy college, enjoy your youth, and a child would ruin that. I believed I was protecting Henry from growing up in the typical environment of college, frat parties and all that. And I couldn't handle a rejection. But my biggest fear was if you rejected Henry. If you made me give up on him when I already knew I wanted to raise him."

"Still, I should've had a say in that," Robin insists, his blue eyes as red as her dark brown ones due to the tears. He can't assure her he wouldn't do anything she's saying at that age, he was a kid himself, very different from the man he's today, and he can't say for sure that he would be a perfect father, that he wouldn't think about giving Henry up, but he should've, at least, had the choice. And if those really were her insecurities, why she didn't tell him everything later? He wasn't the college boy anymore. He grew up and those worries didn't apply to him anymore. She could've looked for him and tell him, at least he wouldn't miss Henry's childhood, "What about these last ten years? Did you think about telling me?"

"I told you, I was afraid," she parrots, and he was already expecting that, he supposes, "I couldn't lose Henry. If you wanted to go to court, I would be judged because of what I did and probably would lose him. It was too much at stake," she explains, and she can even deny it, but the reason was: she didn't trust him, "And then I met Daniel, and I thought my life was complete. And it was, somehow, until he... until he died and left me with two kids, one of them just months old. I didn't want to think about anyone else for a while," she buries her face in her palms in an attempt to hide her tears. She's sobbing, and Robin struggles between leave his seat and reach for her to comfort her (despite everything he hates to see her like this) or wait until most of her pain subsides, because this is not even about him anymore, this is her own grief.

"I'm sorry for your loss," he says genuinely, now feeling bad for showing up in her life with his messy one, and a custody case for her to help him with, while clearly, she's still learning how to deal with her own problems, "I won't take Henry away from you. What type of man would I be if I just showed up in his life to push him away from his mother? For all he knows I'm a stranger."

That admission had been harder than Robin was expecting. He shouldn't have to say those things about his son, even if it's truth. He should've been able to be present to see Henry growing up and becoming the honorable kid he's today. He's so proud of him and he just had one opportunity to spend time with him.

"Thank you. And Henry _does_ want to know you," she assures, her hand moving to reach for his, but she must have thought about it twice, because she stops in her tracks and masks her movement with, "And wants to meet Roland."

"I'm sure Roland will love to meet him too," he agrees, offering her a sad smile, thinking about them meeting each other. He knows it won't be easy, though, with the situation about Roland's custody, Robin doesn't know if introduce them now it's the best option, but he'll do it as soon as he can, as soon as it's safe for him to do that, "But what should I do? I don't want to ruin my chances to win Roland's custody, but I don't want Henry to think I'm avoiding to introduce him to his brother, either."

It's a between a rock and a hard place situation, but maybe Regina can help him, she's his lawyer, after all, and it's her job to advise him regarding these situations.

"I would tell you to wait," she says, the professional tone back in her voice, showing him she can separate things, even if her own son is involved, "I can talk to Henry and explain him your situation the best I can. He will understand, he's smart, you don't have to worry about that."

"Thank you," Robin offers her a grateful smile, his dimples fully on display, which earns him another in return, something he just didn't need it right now. He loves that smile, always did, and would give everything to see her smile like this every day, "I should go."

"Can I tell him you'll call tonight?" Regina stops him before he can even move to leave his seat, and it's quite a surprise to hear her asking that, even if he knows she won't keep them away anymore.

Still, Robin takes his time to respond, nods his head slowly and wipes his tears as he stands up, stopping by the door to look at her a last time.

She has the eyes red from the crying, he must look the same, he thinks, and then he's off the room, trying his best to look unaffected by this whole thing when he walks by the desk in the lobby, his chest tightening when he feels the woman's gaze on his back.

###

Robin spends the rest of the afternoon cuddling with his son on the couch, reading stories and allowing Roland to talk him to watch the highest number of movies they can manage until dinner. He finally feels like he can be a parent, just wished it wouldn't be necessary to have his son sick and spending the day at his mother's house for Marian to understand that he's a good father for their boy. Robin was almost glad when Marian called asking for her ex-mother-in-law to give dinner to her son, completely unaware of Robin's presence the whole day, except for the few hours it took him to drive to Regina's office and talk to her. It's just sad that he almost has to hide if he wants to see his son, not that he can't pay a visit to his mother's house, is his mother, after all, but he wants to avoid any problems with Marian, and will prefer to keep his mother away from this issue.

So now, he's just waiting for her to arrive to have a conversation with her. Will try and do his best to keep it civilized, but he can't have Marian pushing him away from his own son when he didn't do anything wrong. At least, so wrong that has him sneaking into his mother's house to spend time with his boy.

So he waits, pushes his thoughts about Marian away as he pulls Roland into his lap, encircling his little body with his arms and watching as his eyelids begin to droop.

Why is she taking so long? If it was Robin, she would scold him the minute he walked into the door for picking up the boy so late. Would argue that he wasn't sticking to the schedule and was compromising Roland's bed time.

But Robin can't say anything. Because she has the bloody physical custody and can do whatever she wants with Roland's schedule. Robin will have to put up with it. And will have to get used to the pitiful looks he gets from the people who know his situation.

He hates it. Can even allow some words of support to help him to get through this, but he hates to see the pity in his family and friends' eyes. And then he has Regina. She is the only one who is able to soothe him with her confidence that, at the end, it's him who will win the case. It's a good thing, but it shouldn't be the woman who hid his other son from him for ten years, that is able to keep him calm about this whole thing. His mother is able to do that too, but he still can see the concern in her eyes, Roland is her grandson, after all, and Robin knows she's unable to separate things.

He offers a smile to the said woman, who he noticed is watching them from the passage to the living room, and gives her a nod when the bell at the door rings and she announces that it's probably Marian.

He immediately hears her apologize to his mother for show up so late, explaining she 'had been caught up in her job', and it may be the truth, but Robin feels the anger building up inside his chest, begging him to let it out and making him tighten the grip around his son protectively, Roland's arms wrapping around his father's neck in response, as he hears his ex-wife making her way to the living room and welcoming his presence with a not very pleased, "Robin? I wasn't expecting to find you here."

"Well, I found out Roland is sick," he tells her as he places his lips on the boy's forehead to check his temperature. He hates to have this conversation in front of his mother and son, but it's not like he can send his mother to another room, and Roland is just clutching to him like his life depended on it. Marian can't even see this affects him as much as it affects them, that days without seeing his father doesn't go by like it's nothing, and that when they see each other they always end up arguing. And Robin can even admit that he also is one person to blame for that, but it's not him who is keeping his son from seeing one of his parents. He just wants her to understand that she's not doing what's best for the boy. He's not dangerous and irresponsible, it's not like he can't have Roland for a weekend or a few days a week.

But Marian chooses to ignore their problems, not even a shred of regret in her features as she approaches them and addresses their son, "How do you feel, baby?" she asks, and Robin bites the inside of his cheek to keep his anger under control in front of the boy. He merely groans in response, is tired and feeling down by the cold, and now has his mother here, trying to get him out of the comfort of his grandparents' house to go to her home, when he should have been in bed by now. He's still warm, and probably still has a fever.

For a moment, they just remain silent, Roland almost falling asleep on his father's lap, but they can't have that if she wants to take him home, so Robin answers for him, earning a smile from his son when he says, "He's recovering, and a good night of sleep will help, right little man?"

"Yes," he nods, tucks his face into the crook of Robin's neck and snuggles closer against his father's chest.

"Robin, don't do that," Marian whispers, and his expression changes for a confused one. Do what? He's not doing anything, but she clearly thinks otherwise, "Stop talking him into a night at his father's house when you know too well that that won't happen."

Robin frowns at her then, gives her a disapproving look and cups his son's head, caressing his brown curls. Well, he didn't mean anything of that, but why won't that happen? He wants to take care of his son too, be with him when he's sick, and it was him who was here today when Marian had to work. Not that he can blame her for that, but she should see more than the moment, at his house, when he had made a mistake and wasn't able to have their son for lunch.

Robin sighs, and shakes his head, lowers his voice as he says, "You're putting words in my mouth."

Marian's eyebrows raise in question, as if asking ' _Am I?_ ', but then she remembers where they are, in his mother's house, and that the said woman is just a few meters from them, watching every interaction between the former couple, so she says, "I didn't bring anything for him to spend the night."

"My mother keeps some of his stuff for occasions like this," Robin tells her, and can spot the apprehension in her eyes when she doesn't have anything to say against that.

Maybe they should've talked about this before, Robin can give her that, but he's his father and it's not like they need to pack a bag every time Roland is to stay with him. Fortunately, Robin is able to buy him things to keep in his house, or in his mother's, so she can't say no, or maybe she can, but he's already letting himself believe she won't do that.

Roland raises his head from his father's shoulder, looking between them and asking, "I'm staying with papa?" making Robin throw her the same inquisitive look. Marian reaches for the boy's forehead and places her hand against it, checking if he still has a fever, running her fingers through his hair before letting out a defeated sigh.

Why does she keep fighting it? He's not a bad father, he's just impulsive sometimes and it's not even when Roland is around.

He makes a move to move his boy from his lap, knowing he'll just have to return him to his mother, but Marian stops him in his tracks, surprising him with a messy, "Wait..." before she pauses, probably thinking on the words to say next, "He can spend the night. I'll have to bring him in the morning because I can't take him to the daycare like this, so I guess he can stay here with you, and your parents, if it's okay for them?"

"Of course," Robin replies immediately, feeling a relief flowing through his body. He knows she's probably just doing this so the boy won't have to leave his house in the morning, when it's colder, just to return here, but feels good in the same, to just know he earned a few more hours with his son, even if those hours will be spent sleeping. He knows Roland will have to go to bed as soon as Marian leaves, and also knows that he will still be asleep the moment Robin leaves for work in the morning, but he'll watch him the whole night if he pleases, and is just happy to know he'll be there if his boy needs him. Marian is doubtful, though, staring with apprehension, maybe she would want to be there for Roland too.

Now she knows how he feels when he can't be present. Awful, a terrible father for not fighting for more time with his son. Robin is doing his best, trying to handle the best way this whole custody issue, while he has to surrender to Marian when she doesn't want to give him time with their son. But just for tonight, he won, and it's just better when he can see the happiness in his mother's eyes as she offers to get the boy ready for bed while they talk.

Roland is pretty much sleeping on his feet, even if he argues that he's not tired and can wait for his father. But Robin assures him that he won't go anywhere, that he'll be with him in a minute, and he ends up agreeing, saying goodnight to his mother before he disappears into the hallway on his grandmother's arms.

When he turns back to face Marian, she doesn't seem pleased at all, a disapproving look on her face as she stares back at him.

Well, here goes nothing.

"Marian, we-"

"I'll pick him up tomorrow before dinner," she interrupts before Robin can say something else, his face turning into a frown as he mirrors her movements and raises from his seat to keep her from leaving the room. This is far from finished, there are so many things they have to discuss and she just wants to leave again... Of course, because they are always running from each other.

"Marian, we need to talk."

She lets out a breath, but surprisingly, she doesn't fight against it, she seems annoyed by his insistence, but she lets herself fall to her seat once again, crossing her arms and letting him know she's listening, "What do you want to talk about?"

He takes his previous seat beside her again, his expression softening to something more neutral as he clears his throat and answers, "Us... Roland," and watches as Marian shifts uncomfortably in her seat, already knowing what comes next, "I barely saw him this week."

"And you know why," she accuses, and yes, he knows, but he doesn't think it's a good reason.

"No, I'm not sure if I know," he argues, "I made one mistake, Marian, _one_. The day I missed my son's physical custody and when I wasn't even supposed to have him for the day."

"Your son saw you completely drawn in alcohol!"

" _My_ son didn't see such thing," Robin counters, "I wasn't even drunk. I was a little... tipsy, upset. I had my reasons to be."

"You always have your reasons," Marian rolls her eyes, glances at the hallway to check if they are still alone and is relieved to see that in a middle of a full house they still can have a bit of privacy.

"You'll have to believe me this time," Robin continues, "I'm still Roland's father, and I'm sure he'd like to spend time with me just as much as I would like to have him around. Roland is the most important thing for me, and you know that, just... give me another chance."

"Alright," she tells him, taking him by surprise and earning a puzzled look from her son's father, "He has been asking me to see you."

"I love him, Marian," he tells her needlessly, and she seems to finally soften a bit, is not blaming him anymore, that's a good thing.

"Why did you do that?"

"That day was really hard for me," he answers, the truth.

"You'd have Roland for the weekend, it was something for you to look forward and avoid mistakes like this one," Marian points out, and she's right, but she doesn't know a fraction of what really happened that Wednesday. Doesn't know about Henry, nor Regina, doesn't know how Robin's head is a mess right now, still trying to absorb his conversation with the brunette today. And then there are still two more weeks between them and the court appearance about Roland, two more weeks of fights about the boy's time and a tight schedule to be with Henry. It sucks.

"I shouldn't have to look forward to a weekend with my son," Robin argues, shaking his head and frowning at her, "I mean, I'm his father and I should see him every day, but knowing that it's not possible, I'm just asking for one, two days a week, and every other weekend."

It's reasonable, he supposes. They have the same amount of weekends and he gets to see him in the middle of the week too. She still has more time with the boy, and it's just something for them to try until the appearance at the court.

He almost can hear her thinking, maybe doing the math in her head and looking a little unsure about the whole thing. Why is it so difficult? It's an experience, for two bloody weeks, for God's sake.

"A day during the week? What about his school? He'd have to get up earlier because you chose to live on the other side of town," she accuses, and there it is this conversation again, about the school Robin didn't even have an opinion about.

"We'll choose a day when he doesn't have any activities in the morning," Robin suggests, ignoring the school subject, "I can drop him a little later that day. What about Tuesday nights?"

Marian thinks about it, staring at him, but conceding, "That's an option. And the weekends? He'll have to be home by Sunday night."

"I can pick him up from daycare on Fridays and drop him at your house Sundays before dinner, how's that?"

"Alright," she agrees, uncertain, "But Robin, this is temporary, and an experience," she explains, "I still think this won't give him any stability. It will wear him out."

He knows she's right. But it won't hurt to try, it's definitely better than being away from each other for too long. And again, it's just two weeks.

"It's just until the court appearance," he assures, and Marian nods her head, accepting the suggestion. It's not ideal, especially because they live so far away from each other and the school, but it's an option, and at least for these next weeks, he won't fight with Marian, nor will have to beg for time with his son. They both accepted it, and maybe it will do to know if they can co-parenting like this, if they are able to split the time, "We'll talk about this again after the judge's decision."

"We'll see," she replies, "I don't want to push him away from you, Robin, so don't... mess it up this time."

She'll never let him forget about that, will she? She'll use that every time she'll need a reason for keeping their boy from seeing him. He just gave her a reason to use in court, and despite this whole conversation and agreement, he can't really expect that she'll have pity on him and will waste that moment of weakness to use to her advantage. Still, he ignores it, doesn't really want to talk about this issue, "So, since today is Monday, will I have him tomorrow too?"

She seems a bit taken aback by that, maybe wasn't ready for the change, but they agreed it'll be Robin's day, and it's fair, she supposes, even if she's already giving up on her Monday, the boy's sick after all, "Fine, but call me so I can know if he feels better."

Robin nods, assures, "Of course, you'll talk to him."

"Alright," she stands up, "I should go."

And then he's walking her towards the front door, pretty proud of himself for what he accomplished tonight. It's for two weeks, but it's more than he was expecting to get. He was thinking he'd have to insist a little more, maybe try to have the conversation the following day when she arrived to pick up the boy, but this is better, and definitely less a problem for both of them. He just has to let Regina know now. That, and keep the promise of a phone call to his older son.

* * *

 **Here's the chapter, it was really difficult, I must have rewritten it a thousand times. I hope it's good, at least. Tell me what you thought, please :)**


	11. Chapter 11

Chapter 11.

Thursday, Regina has a meeting.

It's the first time she'll see Robin since their talk in her office and she can say she's a nervous wreck.

Robin had called on Monday night as promised, had talked to Henry for a bit, and then had asked Regina to schedule a meeting with her, one 'completely professional', as he'd put it, if it wasn't for their decision to do it on Robin's house:

 _"_ _I have Henry on Thursday," Regina explains as she walks through the rooms' hallway, her attention shifting to the sound of a door opening, just in time to see Henry's head peeking out of his room to check on her conversation with his father, "He's off school now, on vacation, but he should definitely be in bed by now."_

 _Henry ignores his mother's message and walks the few steps between him and the brunette, letting her know he was getting ready for bed before hearing her on the hallway, the white shirt of his pajamas secured in his hands. He's still in his clothes, the shirt is off, but his jeans remain in his body._

 _"_ _Are you going to see Robin on Thursday?" he asks her, a small smile on his lips as he slips the shirt over his head. He'd got pretty well with the blue-eyed man, and all his attempts to convince her for another meeting these last few days had been in vain. They just don't have time to schedule one, Roland is sick and apart from that, Henry can be on vacations, but they have to work._

 _"_ _No. I took the day off to be with you, remember?" she answers, covering the phone with her palm._

 _His shoulders rise and fall, not really understanding what the problem is since she has the day off and Robin is asking for a meeting, "So? We can meet him together."_

 _"_ _It's a working meeting," she explains, "You'll be bored."_

 _"_ _I won't. I can take my PSP with me," he insists, and Regina sighs internally. She thinks for a moment, considering the option of taking their son for a meeting that will be about Robin's other son. It'd be a disaster, having Henry hearing everything about Robin's life when he can even have important things to tell her that he can't talk about in front of the boy. That's not how Regina wants their meeting to go, Robin has to be comfortable._

 _"_ _Is our son giving you any trouble?" Robin asks from the other side of the line, the way he refers to Henry making her feel goosebumps all over her skin._

 _"_ _He's suggesting that I take him with me to the meeting," she walks towards her own bedroom, hears Henry following her, but it's not like she can send him away now that he knows they are talking about him. Regina watches as he sits on the edge of the bed, occupying the free spot beside her._

 _"_ _Oh, we can… We can do that," Robin answers with apprehension in his voice, afraid she thinks he's trying to push himself into their lives. But he wants to see Henry, he has the right to do it, and it's a good opportunity, he supposes, "I mean,_ _if you want to," he continues, this is her job after all. Henry knows what she does, but maybe she's not keen to let him witness a real meeting, especially with his father, "We could do it at my house, he would have things to keep him entertained and we could talk," clever, she thinks, not really coming up with a reason for denying his suggestion, except for the fact that she really didn't want to spend her day at Robin's house, but that's selfish._

 _She looks back at her son, then, to his pleading and hopeful eyes, the pout on his lips, the whole puppy-dog look. She can't say no, can she? She has both of them, father and son, almost begging. They are in this situation because of her, because she made a mistake, and she has the opportunity to make it up for it. And she wants to give Henry the life he deserves, a life with a father._

 _So she wraps her arm around her son's shoulders, clears her throat before she asks, "Can you send me your address?"_

 _###_

Regina walks to Robin's house feeling as anxious as ever. She doesn't know what to expect of this day, especially considering Henry will be present, so the wide smile which they are welcome with is particularly soothing that morning. Even if she knows that it's not really meant for her, but for their son.

Robin is waiting for them at the door, dressed in his usual jeans and shirt, and inviting them to walk further into his home.

"Come on in," he tells them as he ruffles Henry's hair in greeting, "I'll show you the house."

Regina smiles and runs her hand through Henry's light brown hair in an attempt to fix it, following them into the foyer and taking in every detail.

It's really simple, but pleasant. Very open and bright as the sunlight comes through the windows of each room and lights the white walls of the foyer. There's a table on the right side of the front door, a mirror over it, hanging on the wall, and two frames placed over the wooden surface. Roland is in both, she notices with a smile, the first frame showing a picture of the boy playing with his toys when he was probably just about one year old, while the second one is him and his father, Robin carrying him on his shoulders as the boy laughs happily.

He is watching her through the mirror, she notices it, so she focuses her attention back on the blue-eyed man, letting him guiding them towards the rooms' corridor, where there are two closed doors – for his and Roland's bedrooms, she supposes.

He opens the first to his left, lets them in before himself, light blue walls surrounding them, and a small bed placed against the wall, in one of the corners. It's adorable, and really fit for Roland's size. There's a cupboard full of toys against the opposite wall, with a TV hanging above it – it makes Regina wonder why a four-year-old needs a TV in his bedroom, but it's not her place to ask so she remains quiet. On the other side of the room, she spots a small table and a few sheets and crayons spread all over it, a few of his draws fixed on the wall.

"Cool," Henry breaks the silence, his eyes wandering over the whole space before they stop on the TV. She knows what's about to come, and no, he can't have one in his room. He's ten, he doesn't need to lock himself in his bedroom the whole day if he wants to watch TV.

"The answer is no," Regina says immediately, noticing the frown on Robin's face. He remains silent, just watching them as Henry lets out a defeated sigh, his hands stuffed into his pockets while Regina turns to Robin and explains, "He wants a TV in his room."

"Oh," Robin replies, his tone exchanging for a guilty one, "I can assure you this one is under strict rules. There's none of it at bedtime, and the video games remain in the living room."

"You have video games?" Henry asks excited, and Robin looks back at Regina. Apparently, he was right when he said there are plenty of things to keep their son entertained. She shrugs in response, and Robin smiles at the boy.

"I think I have a few you'll like," Robin tells him, because what would be more efficient to keep a boy occupied while they talk than video games?

###

"Regina?"

She looks away from Roland's pictures over the table in the foyer to look back at Robin, who has just left Henry in the living room playing with the video games so they can have a bit of privacy for their conversation. She'd been fifteen minutes waiting for him, choosing to give them a moment alone so they could understand she trusted them together, so she'd entertained herself with the pictures of the little boy, his dimpled smile immediately drawing her attention just like his father's. She always loved that about Robin, and of course, his gorgeous blue eyes, but there was something about his smile… something that made him so trustworthy at her eyes. That had lead her to make a huge mistake ten years ago, but there was no use to be thinking about that right now, not even if she sees herself falling for that smile all over again. She just can't help herself.

And he seemed so happy in his picture with his son. His smile even more beautiful than the one she's used to witnessing.

He's… perfect. A good person, a wonderful father. How had Marian given up on that? How had _she_ given up on that? She never felt so much regret in her life, she just wanted to go back in time and give him a second chance. She doesn't regret Daniel, doesn't regret Dylan, but she wanted to know how would've been her life with Robin, or at least, how would've been Henry's life.

"I'm sorry, you seem… really happy."

Robin smiles, his eyes shifting for his photo with Roland, "I was. I am, Roland is my life."

"Is he feeling better?" she asks with concern in her voice, and he nods, knowing she's referring to the past Monday when he told her his son was sick.

"It was just a cold," Robin assures, and she mirrors his movement as she nods her head, clearing her throat since she doesn't have anything more to say, "Come on," he says, leading her towards a closed door beside the table in the foyer – she'd wondered what was that door, but she didn't have in herself to ask, especially because it's not her business, but apparently, she was about to find out, "I have to keep this one closed because of Roland. I tried to give him his own space in his room, but he keeps thinking my office is much better."

Regina's smile widens before she lets out a chuckle. She's not able to picture Roland taking over Robin's office, he's an angel, but Robin is his father, so he knows him better than anyone else. She's a mother of two boys, and despite she's lucky enough to be raising two that doesn't cause her much trouble, she knows what boys are able to do.

"It's not that he does it on purpose, but," Robin continues, amused, as he pushes the door open and lets her in, "It's just that I don't want to take his draws to my meetings instead of my paperwork again."

"Well, maybe you should've bought him a desk rather than the TV," she teases, because she can't help it. He's the 'cool dad', wants to give everything to his kids. She wonders if he'll do the same with Henry, if Robin will get him a space in his house for when they get used to the situation and Henry wants to spend time with his father.

"Fair enough," he agrees, looking back at her with a smile and gesturing for the couch in front of them, a silent offer for her to take a seat as he does the same and occupies the free spot beside her. She leans against the cushions and looks around her, watches some of Roland's draws fixed on a board beside Robin's desk, together with more photos of both father and son. Robin lets her observe for a moment and focuses on the pictures too, one of him and his son, in Roland's second birthday, he remembers, where he was holding the boy in his arms, Robin's mother standing just beside them. His smile falls instantly, as he remembers that was Marian who took that picture, "His mother allowed him to spend more time with me. Maybe I should really buy him a desk."

She almost moves to reach for his hand, the sadness pretty evident in his tone – she'd be sad too if she couldn't see Henry every time she wanted to – but she stops herself before she could reach him, placing her hand back on her lap, "She gave you more time?"

"She did," Robin answers, his lips tilting up in a smile, the one she loves, genuine and affectionate… she shouldn't even be thinking about it, "She gave me the Tuesday nights and some weekends."

She nods and clears her throat, turns back to face him as she asks, "Robin… what happened?"

He frowns, his blue eyes locked with hers, "What happened?"

"Yes, between you two…" she tries to come up with the best words, "Marian doesn't trust you with Roland."

That's truth. If she trusted him, or if they were able to talk about Roland's custody, they wouldn't be in this situation.

So she's not surprised when he shakes his head and confirms, "No, she doesn't."

He stands up, then, avoiding her gaze, and Regina wonders if, even if she's his lawyer, maybe it's not her place to be bringing up this issue. But she cares about him, and cares about Roland, and wants to help them the best she can, "Why? Was your breakup that bad?"

She watches as his shoulders rise and fall as he walks towards his desk, turning to look back at her before he could reach the table, "I told her I never loved her."

Well, that's… not good.

Regina leans against the cushions, letting out an audible sigh. Any woman deserves more respect than that. They had been married, they have a kid together, Regina doesn't want to imagine what she'd do if Daniel told her something like that, she wouldn't trust him anymore, that's for sure.

She already regrets bringing up the issue, is almost afraid to know what comes next.

###

He shouldn't have told her that.

They are not friends, she's just his lawyer, he can even end up pushing Regina away and lose whatever their relationship is if he keeps discussing this issue with her. But this, this is about her too, she has a much more important role in this situation than she imagines, so she can't blame him if he feels this urge to talk about this with her. Even if he knows this can spoil everything. Their chance to remedy anything is far away now, she made mistakes, he made mistakes, and he's not sure if any of them is ready to forget, except when it comes to Henry, Robin does everything in his power to be deserved of some time with the boy.

But about Regina, he can say he doesn't know how he feels. She probably doesn't know how she feels about him either.

So he doesn't look at her. He's not ready to hear what she has to say, to discuss with her his relationship with Marian. How did they get here? They should be talking about Roland and the custody. That's why he scheduled this meeting with her, to talk about his son. But they never stick to the main topic, and this time wasn't different.

"You married to her, Robin," her tone is accusatory, meant to talk some sense into him than really make him feel bad about it.

He looks at her, his blue eyes finding hers as he agrees, "Yes, I did."

"So you loved her. Or you are just that idiot?"

"I loved her, I just didn't… _love_ her," he replies, returning to his seat beside her on the couch, a frown on his face as if asking if she understands what he's trying to say. He liked Marian, she had been the only person to convince him to give love a second chance, but he doesn't believe he _loved_ her. At least, not the way he had loved the brunette currently seated beside him. She was special, more than he wanted to admit.

"So why… why did you marry her?" she asks, shifting in her seat to be sitting directly across from him, their knees touching, "And Roland?"

He sighs, and looks back at the pictures behind her, at the little boy showing his dimples in each one of them. They had tried to make their relationship work because of the boy, had even succeeded for some time, but deep down, Robin knew they wouldn't be together for the rest of their lives and had chosen to be sincere with Marian, because that's what he is. He's not a liar.

He notices her waiting for an answer, eyes locked in his. He wonders how to answer her, not about Roland, but about the marriage. It certainly hadn't been as real as he'd liked. God, he's certain she's thinking of him as a fool.

He shouldn't have told her.

She's a woman. She may be his lawyer, but he's sure that, right now, she's feeling more sympathy for Marian than really for him. He's just the idiot that played with her feelings, just like she believes he'd done to her, and then married a woman and had a kid just to tell that said woman that he never loved her in the first place. Put it this way, it sounds horrible, as if he'd been tricking Marian the whole time, and it wasn't really that way, he liked her and he really wanted to try to have a relationship with her, but it just didn't work out.

"Roland was a surprise," he answers her, finally breaking the silence surrounding them, "We weren't trying for a baby, we had even agreed to wait to have a child, but Marian came to me one day and told me she was pregnant. What could I do? I'd be a father and of course, I was happy. I tried to make our relationship work, I…"

"You proposed?" she guesses, and Robin confirms with a nod of his head.

"I was really committed to giving them the life they deserved, the family they deserved, but I…" he sighs heavily, covers his eyes with his palms, "I couldn't give them that because I had something stronger holding me back. I had left something in my past to be resolved and I wasn't being able to deal with it."

"What was that?"

"You," Robin looks back at her, noticing the realization in her eyes as she swallows and shifts her gaze away from him. Here she is, running away as he expected, "You just disappeared, Regina. Every day I wondered when I would see you again, how that moment would be. Even when I met Marian, I just… I never moved on."

"Don't blame me for your relationship with Marian," she replies, and Robin can't help if he gives her a piercing look, "You shouldn't have used her. You should've been sincere with her since the beginning."

"I'm not blaming you and you're right, but," Robin explains, the last thing he wants is to argue with her because of Marian. He's just trying to answer her questions, trying to make her see his point and why he hadn't been able to have a life with his ex-wife, "I couldn't wait for you my whole life. I needed to try to move on, even if I really didn't _want_ to."

"Robin…"

"It's the truth, Regina."

"And one more reason to tell her the truth."

"I did tell her everything, look where it took me," he remembers her, it had been the reason for their divorce, one of the reasons for her to push him away from Roland. If she has reasons to not trust him? Probably, yes. If she has reasons to not trust him with Roland? No, she hasn't. He loves his son, would do everything for him. Maybe they should've been more careful, make sure they wouldn't have a child together if Robin wasn't certain of his feelings, but now it's a little late for that, and he just wants to play his role and be a good father for Roland.

But Marian is not letting him, just like Regina didn't, regarding Henry. She'd run away and hidden the boy from him, while he was trying to move on with his life and failing miserably.

"Why are you telling me this?" she asks him, and it's more difficult to answer it than he thought, doesn't even him knows the reason.

"You asked," he smirks, and he can almost swear that he heard her mutter something like 'already regretted that decision'. That's why they left so many things to be said between them, "Because it's the truth," he continues, "I loved you, Regina. I thought about you all these years. Believe me when I say that I just wanted to be able to forget what happened."

"Robin, please…"

He shushes her when he grabs her hand, pulling it to his lap to cover it with the other, "Even if I'm not able to do it just now, I… I hate this."

"What are you trying to say?"

"I'm willing to try again," he answers, "To be friends, I mean…" he sighs, then explains, "For Henry?"

###

 _For Henry._

This is life stabbing her in the back, again.

He's right, they should try to be friends for Henry, they can't be anything more after everything that happened and it would only make the situation better… Better for the boy, that's what it is. And ridiculously painful for them, or for her, at least. He's right there, sitting across from her, his thumb caressing back and forth the back of her hand while she tries her best to keep it neutral, their knees touching, and his eyes focused on her, even if she doesn't reciprocate the attention.

She doesn't look at him. Because she doesn't stand those deep, blue orbs that are begging her for an answer.

For a few moments, she just keeps quiet, watching the circular motion of his finger. It's like everything has changed, for better or for worse, like he's forgotten all she'd done these last ten years - run away from him, hidden Henry because she was afraid of what he could do.

Maybe he's accepting her choices, is giving her a chance to make up for their lost time.

"Regina?"

She raises her head, gathers the courage to look at him, to his eyes, her teeth trapping her bottom lip in a reflex.

She has to answer him, she knows that, but she also knows that when she agrees with him, she'll have to put up with it.

"Why now, Robin? Why did you choose to talk about this today?"

She wasn't expecting any of this, was just prepared to talk about Roland, about the custody or even about his problems with Marian. But Robin is here, asking her to be friends, and she doesn't want any of that, she doesn't even know what she wants.

He keeps the slow motion in her hand, his caresses drawing Regina's attention, and she sighs and gives him a puzzled look, preparing to speak again if Robin didn't interrupt her, "I had time to think about everything," about their conversation, she thinks, but she knows what he means, and she's curious to know where this will take them, "And I think there's no point to keep hard feelings if we want this to work. Henry is my son as much as he's yours and I don't want to have a repeat of my situation with Marian," he explains, and she looks at him, nods.

"Alright, for Henry."

The corners of his lips tilt up in a smile and she removes her hand from his grip, even if she already misses his warmth.

Robin looks back at her, at how she focuses her attention on fixing the nonexistent wrinkles on her pants, the only sound in the room is the one of their breathing. He fiddles with his own hands, his eyes shifting away from her, already knowing what comes next.

"There's something else I have to tell you," he mutters, drawing her attention. What now? She thinks. She doesn't believe she'll be able to get through another conversation about them, she's not there to talk about that, she just accepted his invitation because he wanted to talk about his case, and so far, they didn't talk about anything regarding Roland's custody. Except for the fact that he mentioned he'd get more time with the boy, "The day of the first court appearance, when I returned home after I discovered about Henry, I had a little more scotch than I intended to because I thought I'd have the rest of the day for myself. But Marian showed up, with Roland of all the people. She told me she didn't want me to have him for the weekend, that I was doing exactly what we agreed that wouldn't happen again."

So that's why he didn't have Roland that Saturday, she thinks. She expected everything, everything but that explanation, "She had the right to assume that, Robin."

"I know, but she didn't even call me, I would never do that if I knew she wanted me to watch my son. I was an idiot, but finding about Henry that day didn't help. I was a bloody mess."

"But for Marian that was a repeat of the situation in your parents' house."

"It's not the same," Robin argues, and she thinks that no, it isn't, but his ex-wife probably doesn't care about that, all she saw was her son's father drunk all over again, "I didn't know she'd pay me a visit. And what really bothers me is that it wasn't even Roland's fault, but the only thing he knows is that he couldn't have lunch with me or spend the weekend with his father."

There's always a consequence for his actions. This time, it was Roland who suffered from it. She doesn't want to imagine how that may be difficult for Robin, knowing he's part of the reason for his son's pain and can't really do much to help with that. Well, he can. At least, with situations like this one, he could've avoided it. He could've lunched with his son that day and have him for the weekend, but Regina won't tell him that, or at least, won't bring it like that.

"It wasn't the ideal," she agrees, explains, "But I'm sure he's not blaming you for it either."

Robin sighs audible, shrugs before he stands up from his seat, "I'm sure he was sad. I want to be a good father and right now I'm feeling far from that."

Regina shakes her head, fights the urge to stand up too and reach for him, "You're doing what you can to be with Roland. Maybe he doesn't understand it right now, but he will, when he's older," she watches as he closes his eyes, shoves his hands into his pockets. She already hates this situation. She doesn't want to get his hopes up, but the only thing she remembers to say is, "I promise you it will get better."

He nods and turns on his spot, heads back towards the couch, and Regina doesn't even react when he pulls her for a hug. His arms wrapped around her torso, hers circling his neck, his mouth so close to her ear that she can feel his breath on her skin.

It's comforting, she knows he needs this, but at the same time, she wished it didn't have to be the woman who lied to him for ten years to soothe him. It means she's more important for him than she wanted to admit, which makes her think that she hurt him more than she expected.

This is… painful.

"I'm sorry I dragged you into this, I'm an awful client."

Regina pulls back a little, enough to look at him as she smirks, "Well, at least, I didn't discover about this one at the court."

Yes, because the last time he forgot to tell her about the situation in his parents' house and she had to hear about it from Marian's lawyer. They are making progresses.

"I'm sorry for that," he giggles, moving his hand up and down her back – he shouldn't even be hugging her anymore, but she can't say she doesn't like his attention, "I never thought she'd use that in court. She really surprised me. Guess we can expect this one to be mentioned to the judge too, right?"

What was he expecting? Marian wants Roland's custody just as much as him and will do everything to get it. She'd be a fool if she didn't use it against him. Probably, if it was the other way around, Regina would advise Robin to do the same.

"We have to be prepared for that."

"I'm sorry."

"Why are you sorry?" Regina scoffs, "She's fighting against you not me."

"Yes, but I feel like I'm causing you more trouble than I should," he explains, and this may be difficult, but this is her job. She has to put up with it, Robin is not even her worst client. She already had to deal with much worse, "I really didn't want to drag you into this."

"It's okay, I love my job and I know its pros and cons."

"Still," he unwraps his arms from her waist, puts more distant between them than she'd like at the moment, "This is crossing the professional line and I think we both know that. You are very good at your job and I know you want to help me, but… maybe this was a mistake. Maybe introducing you to Roland was a mistake. I don't want Marian to find out and claim I'm trying to buy him off."

"Robin, she won't do nothing of the sort," Regina assures, "It's not written anywhere that I can't meet your son, you don't even know if her lawyer met him too."

"Do you think he did?"

"Probably," she answers, truthfully, her eyes locked in his, "But does it matter? It doesn't seem to me that that affected your relationship with him," she approaches him again, her hands settling on his biceps. He tenses under her touch, so she moves her hands until she's just touching his wrists, "I already told you this, Robin, you are his parents. No one else," she thinks of Henry, of Daniel, but that is a completely different situation so she pushes those thoughts away from her mind just as quickly as it appeared, "You're not giving Marian more arguments if that's what bothers you."

Robin looks at her hands, but does nothing to leave her grasp. Just keeps staring as her thumb traces a circular motion on his skin, working to ease his mind. She stares at it too, applies a bit more pressure on his forearm and lets out an audible sigh. It's strange, and rather intimate, but at least it's working to help him to relax. When her gaze shifts to his right wrist, she notices the lion tattoo drawn on his skin, one she remembers him taking care of it back in college when he'd just got it. His mother had been pissed off when she discovered, but Regina had always loved it since the first moment he showed it to her, remembers to think that it suited him.

"You're amazing," he mutters almost inaudibly, her eyes shifting to his with a puzzled look, "And Roland knows that too. He's always asking when he can see you again, when you'll play with him again at the park. I'm afraid he'll get hurt by all of this. And now with Henry… it'll get difficult to separate things and you don't have to be a part of my son's life, I don't want you to think you have to just because he wants it."

Her brows furrow in confusion, her voice firm as she replies, "I like him, Robin, I don't mind to spend time with him when he starts to get along with Henry."

Robin nods his head, sighs, "Thank you, I think I'm just… nervous. The appearance is a few days away."

"It will be fine," she assures, and she squeezes his wrists one more time before she releases him, returns to her previous seat on the couch, "You have a new agreement with her, that will count for something."

"Hopefully," he gives her a little smile, part of his nerves already vanishing. He's starting to return to the usual Robin again, even if she still notices the doubt in his eyes, clouding the confidence she'll need him to have to get through another court appearance.

* * *

 **Well, things are getting better, I hope :P**

 **I hope you liked and please tell me what you thought, it's really important to know if I'm going in the right direction.**

 **Thanks for the last reviews!**


	12. Chapter 12

Chapter 12.

Ruby rings at Regina's door at eight on the dot Tuesday morning, and even if the brunette tries to mask how nervous she's feeling about this second appearance, she knows her friend knows her better than that and will pick on the slightest evidence of how she's really feeling that morning.

She notices the way Regina runs all over the place, trying to gather all her things, the way she tries to control the frown on her face, but there's something that immediately draws Ruby's attention, and that would be the suit she's wearing that hugs every curve of her body. It's still professional, a proper attire for the courtroom, but it seems it was made just for her. No wonder (Regina will never admit) this is her best outfit.

She lets Ruby in, thanking her for watching the boys that morning, and the young girl assures that it's fine, she accepts every excuse to get out of Granny's at breakfast time.

She crosses the foyer to reach for her matching jacket, her bag still resting near the coat rack, but she reaches for her stilettos first, puts one at a time, and just then she grabs her briefcase, sighing in exhaustion just for that little rush to get ready.

"Wow, Regina, you look so hot," Ruby tells her, making the other brunette blush at her words. She doesn't want to look like she's dressing up more than she should, that she wants to stand out, but it's part of her job to cause a good impression, she needs to persuade a judge, after all, and she won't do that just for her looks, but it's a good help, "You don't need to feel embarrassed, if your client is the same that met you at Granny's the other day, I would do the same."

She rolls her eyes, the corners of her lips tilting up a little, because this is Ruby, and of course she'd think that, "Thank you, Ruby, but I just wanted to dress something that would make me feel a bit more prepared for this one. I failed completely on the last appearance. Anyway, I should be going. The boys are asleep upstairs, I don't have much for them to do today, just don't let them, especially Henry, spend the whole time with video games."

The girl nods her head, already knowing the recommendations. She's pretty used to babysit her cousins by now and it's just for a few hours, she can hold down the fort for Regina. She's already too much stressed out to be worrying about this too. She needs to relax.

"It's not my first time," Ruby remembers, placing her hands on the brunette's shoulders, "They are going to be fine, and please, breathe. You'll knock them dead this time."

She loves this girl. Is always so optimistic and able to infect the others with her positivism, "I've done this before, this is just the pressure to make things right."

She doesn't want to disappoint Robin. That's the truth, not now that he showed he wants to try to trust her again.

Ruby leads her towards the door, gives her a little push so she's now standing on the porch, "Go, and do what you do best. We'll be fine."

Regina nods, checks if she has everything she needs since she'd just been shoved out of her own house, and tells her, "I'll call if I don't make it for lunch" and makes her way towards her car.

###

He didn't offer Regina a ride this morning.

Maybe he should've, they had parted ways rather well last Thursday, but he thought she would like some space, and he needs some time for himself as well before the whole thing begins. He didn't talk to Marian about what will happen after today - if things change what will they do, or if it keeps like this, will they keep their agreement?

He parks the car, sees someone who appears to be Marian entering the building, but he knows they won't have time to talk before the appearance, so he will just have to wait and see what happens. And not a sign of Regina. She still has time, half an hour at least, but he would have liked to walk into the room with her, someone who could ease the tension that will arise when he faces his ex-wife.

He's already sweating in anticipation, he believes Regina will be able to make things better, at least earn him more time with his son, but he can't help the nerves. A courtroom usually has that effect on people - the wooden furniture, uncomfortable chairs, and the judge's seat located on a raised platform at the head of the room. It makes Robin uneasy, but he has to put up with it and would even handle much worse if that meant he would get Roland's custody.

He walks into the room, immediately spotting Marian and her lawyer, Regina is not there yet, but he believes she'll be in no time, she's not one for getting late, so he mutters a good morning, and takes his seat at one of the desks, waiting.

Just as he was expecting, it doesn't take long for him to see Regina entering the room, carrying her jacket on her arm while a dark gray pencil skirt keeps the white shirt she's wearing securely tucked at her waist. She parrots Robin's words and greets Marian and her lawyer with a good morning, before taking the seat beside the blue-eyed man. She was in a hurry, he notices, but that did nothing to keep her from showing up looking as flawless as ever. This is Regina they're talking about.

"You are plenty on time," Robin assures as he hears her sighing as soon as her back hit the chair, "And that outfit really suits you."

"Thank you," she replies, running her hand through her hair in an attempt to fix any curl that may have slipped out of place. She doesn't have any, though, is like she'd just left her house.

"How was Henry?" he asks, lowering his voice and remembering the boy has shown genuine interest to know how this situation of Roland's custody would go. They may don't know each other, but they are brothers, and now that Robin knows is older son a little bit better, he can say he was worried about his father too.

"Sleeping," Regina answers with a smile, "I promised I'd talk to him today after the appearance."

"Alright," Robin nods, "I'd like to go with you if it's okay?"

She doesn't see why not. So Regina nods, at the same time they hear the familiar voice that announces the judge echoing through the room, making them stand to receive the man. Robin just hopes today will be a bit better for him.

###

"You may proceed."

Marian's lawyer leaves his seat, walking towards the microphone, as Robin straightens his back and gives Regina a discreet look. This is it, here they go again. It may not be his last chance, Regina had told him he'd get the chance to speak, but who wouldn't be nervous at a court appearance about their son's custody? Robin's nerves had calmed down for a bit, but he still can feel the butterflies in his stomach, the lump in his throat as he sees the man placing the papers in front of him. They appear to have everything studied.

Even so, Regina has it too, she'll not be surprised this time, so he waits to see how this will go as the man starts to speak, "Thank your Honor, we want to enhance our request for the full custody of the child, mostly for the reason that it had been one incident two weeks ago, which proves my client is the right person to take care of her son."

"I'm aware of the incident, yes," the judge replies, his expression unreadable.

"So we claim that Mr. Locksley does not have the required skills to take care of the child, considering this was not the first time that something like this happens, not to mention that the child was present the two times, which leads my client to present this in court," the man explains, returning to his seat when he finishes. It's not a surprise that Marian would bring this excuse to win the custody, it'd be a surprise if she didn't.

"Thank you. Miss Mills?"

"Good morning," Regina greets before clear her throat, "My client, Mr. Locksley, will keep his initial request for the physical custody of his son," Robin nods discreetly at her announcement, and something shifts in Regina at his determined attitude to keep his boy. She's proud of him, he doesn't allow himself to get intimidated by Marian's threats. This is what is best for Roland, to have both parents in his life, and Robin won't accept less than that, "We refuse to believe the child's mother think Mr. Locksley doesn't have the required skills to take care of their son when she agreed on a temporary deal for these last two weeks."

The judge raises his eyebrows at that, bringing his own microphone closer to him.

"What kind of deal?" he asks, a curiosity in his voice that makes Regina smile internally at her speech. It's pretty obvious that if Marian didn't trust Robin, she wouldn't try to make an agreement with him, she would just wait for the hearing and then present her arguments. But deep down, she knows Roland needs to be with his father, Regina wants to believe she wouldn't be able to deny him that.

But one never knows, and they need to be prepared for everything, that's what makes her a good lawyer. So Regina clears her throat one more time and prepares to explain, her tone a determined one as she answers, "Mr. Locksley has the boy for Tuesday nights and every other weekend."

Maybe this can work on their behalf.

"So you came to an agreement?" the judge asks, and Regina remembers her conversation with Robin, knowing they are just trying and seeing how it goes, there's no way Robin would be happy with a day per week with his boy if this was permanent. He wouldn't submit himself to this for just one day. But the judge is waiting for a response, looking between Regina and Marian's lawyer.

It was she who came up with this issue, so she shakes her head, explains, "No, it was a temporary deal, for these two weeks," Regina says and looks back at Robin before she continues, "We believe a day per week it's not enough for a child to be with his father. Our point is that the incident is being overused as an attempt to gather all types of arguments. My client didn't even know he'd have a visit from his son that day. He talked to the child's mother a few hours before and agreed to have the boy for the weekend. It was unexpected. And because Mr. Locksley knew he wasn't in no conditions to watch his son that day, he gave up from that time with him, which cost him the weekend as well. He wants to make sure his son is safe."

"Who took care of the child that afternoon?"

"His paternal grandparents," Regina answers, her thoughts drifting for the moment Robin told her he'd offered to call his mother that day, to ask if she could watch Roland, to which Marian said she would do that herself, "It was Mr. Locksley himself who suggested his parents to watch his son," she looks at Robin then, just for a few seconds, his blue eyes stained with red due the tears Regina knows he's trying to fight back. Deep down, he blames himself for what happened, it's not entirely his fault, and she tried to make him see that, but she knows he feels bad for having missed the weekend with his son. She gives him a reassuring smile, then looks back at the judge. He's staring at Robin as well, studying him, his lips pressed together and Regina almost can swear she saw a pang of sympathy in the man's eyes. He should, because he doesn't even know half of the story, but it's not like they can bring Henry into this, "I think Mr. Locksley is a wonderful father. He was aware that he couldn't take care of his son, so he made sure to find someone who could watch the child. He made the right thing. But the mother's concern was to take away his weekend with the boy. There's nothing to prove this child had been neglected, quite the opposite, your Honor."

The judge just nods, shifting his attention to Marian's lawyer as Regina returns to her seat, "Please, call your first witness."

It's Marian first. They watch as she approaches the seat close to the judge and raises her right hand right before she says her name for the record. Her lawyer is quick to start with the questions, getting straight to the point, and asking what is her main concern for the boy's safety.

"I went to leave my son at his father's house, hoping I could surprise him… both of them, with some time together, and I was faced with Mr. Locksley quite tipsy. I didn't know how to react because I had my son right there beside me."

"So you are concerned about Mr. Locksley's ability to watch the boy?"

"Yes, you could say that," Marian nods her head, waiting.

So, suddenly, Robin is a bad father. This is what they will discuss the rest of the hearing, Regina is sure of that. Suddenly, she's forced to defend Robin rather than fight for Roland's custody, when that happened? She hears as the lawyer continues with his questions, asking now if there's been any other incident that makes her concerned about Roland's safety. Of course, he would ask that.

"There's the other night at his parents' house that we already discussed here," Marian points out, and yes, they had already discussed that, why is she bringing that subject up again? She should know already that this would happen, it can be a good or a bad thing for them, depending on the judge reaction.

Regina straights, looking beside her at Robin, who seems equally upset with his ex-wife for talking about that issue all over again, "I'm sorry, your Honor, I thought we were talking about this incident," Regina interrupts, waiting for the judge to reply.

"Yes, can we return to this last time?"

Marian's lawyer nods, irritation clear on his features, "You wanted to surprise your son," he points out, knowing this is one of Robin's reasons to justify his behavior, "That's why you didn't call Mr. Locksley before you arrive at his house that afternoon?"

Marian almost doesn't let him finish, nods quickly with her head to prove her point as she answers, "Yes, exactly."

"I have no more questions, your Honor," Marian's lawyer says as he returns to his previous seat.

Regina approaches the microphone, papers in hand, as she takes the spot in front of the judge to start her own questions, "Good afternoon. So, on your petition, you allege that Mr. Locksley doesn't have the skills to take care of your son, correct?"

"Yes," Marian answers, almost killing Regina with her gaze as she nods her head. She was already expecting that behavior from Robin's ex-wife.

"But you agreed to let Mr. Locksley have more time with his son?"

Marian nods slowly once again, glancing at her lawyer as she explains, "Yes, because he's my son's father, drunk or not. My son couldn't spend time with him that afternoon because of his father's choices."

"But he could've spent the weekend," Regina points out, "It was already settled, you canceled it."

Marian looks down to the desk in front of her, her lips pressed together.

"After what I witnessed, I didn't want to leave my son alone with Robin," she explains, and Regina has to fight the urge to roll her eyes at Robin's ex-wife. She sounds sincere, but it's pretty obvious that the last thing she's afraid of is to leave Roland with Robin, she knows he's a good father.

"You could've given them a chance if you want your son to have a relationship with his father."

"He was drunk."

"After a court hearing where he lost his son's custody."

There are so many things she wished to tell Marian, things she can't say in front of the judge, but that probably would make her realize that what she's doing is only hurting Roland. But she has to do her job, and her job is to help Robin to win his son's custody, not argue with his ex-wife. So she has to pull herself together, do her best to accomplish her goal.

Marian rolls her eyes, lets her back fall to the chair, and then takes a deep breath, her gaze shifting to her lawyer as if she's seeking for some assurance.

"So back to the previous question, both you and Mr. Locksley tried to get to an agreement about the best way to split your son's time between you, is that correct?"

"That's correct, yes," Marian nods, irritation clear in her voice as she answers the question.

It's not Regina's fault if she contradicts herself, if she claims to don't trust Robin to then try to get to an agreement with him. She should be better advised. She's trying, it's pretty evident, but she should try harder, then, because Regina will do her best to help Robin.

For a moment, she just wished they could agree about this, about the whole custody, for Roland and even for their own sake. They could get the same amount of time with the boy and everyone would be happy, happier than this, that's for sure. Right now everyone is miserable, and Roland is confused, but it doesn't seem they will get there so easily, not without the court's help.

How they prefer to have someone making the decision for them? They didn't even get to the final decision and they are already making each other's life miserable. She really wants Robin to be happy, knowing how sad he was when he discovered what she'd done. She doesn't want to see him losing a son all over again.

"And you agree that what happened was an accident?" Regina asks, just wanting to prove that Robin wouldn't do that if he had to watch his son, "That Mr. Locksley didn't know he would have the opportunity to spend time with his son that afternoon?"

Of course she agrees, she has to. Deep down, she knows Robin is not a drunk, and she doesn't even know half the story. Maybe she should know what led Robin to do that, know about Henry, but right now, that's not the best option. Right now, the best thing they can do is to keep it a secret, let her think this was all because of Roland's custody, and then when this will be all settled, they will think about it. Not that is any of Marian's business, though. It has nothing to do with her, this is between her and Robin.

But now she needs an answer from Marian. Needs her to confirm that deep down she knows this was an accident, but the other brunette seems quite apprehensive. Of course, she knows that if she says yes, that will not benefit her, and that's what Regina wants.

"Probably it was an accident, yes," Marian answers, her voice low as she explains, "But it was not the first time, and we had already agreed that this wouldn't happen again. He failed."

Shit, she gets the advantage of every opportunity to blame Robin, as if she didn't have any fault about what happened, and she had, she's not a victim.

"But this is the only incident you chose to include on the petition, correct?" Regina asks, already knowing the answer.

"Yes, and the most important one."

So the only thing she has to say about Robin is the fact that he got a little drunk when he wasn't even supposed to take care of his son.

"What do you think of this new agreement for your son's schedule? Are you happy with it?" Regina asks, glancing at her papers and taking a deep breath. She believes no one is happy with it, Robin isn't, and if this assures him more time with his son, she's happy to try and make a new one with Marian.

"I already said I wanted the full custody, precisely because I don't think this is good for my son," Marian answers, the annoyance back in her tone once again.

Regina just nods, gathers her papers as she says, "Alright, thank you, I have no more questions."

"Next witness, please," the Judge says wasting no time, relaxing against his chair as Marian's lawyer calls Robin.

Regina squeezes his hand, making him look at her. She's getting tired of this, and she's sure Robin is too, "It'll be fine."

###

"So, Mr. Locksley, can you tell me about what time did my client arrive at your house that afternoon?"

Robin has occupied the seat beside the judge, right after Regina had switched places with Marian's lawyer. He's a nervous wreck, Regina may have tried to soothe him a little, telling him it'd be alright, but he can't help it, he's nervous to be questioned by his ex-wife's lawyer. The man seems decided to win this case, eyeing Robin with contempt as he places the papers in front of him. It's intimidating.

Even so, Robin doesn't let him see that. Regina had told him that confidence is the key, so he raises his head, places his hands in front of him as he says, "I'm not sure what time it was but-"

"Would you say it was before lunch?" Marian's lawyer interrupts, his voice telling Robin he isn't too patience.

"Yes, before lunch," Robin answers, fighting the urge to roll his eyes at this man. He's trying to prove something, that's more than obvious, but if they could get this over it, it would be great.

"So that tends to confirm that my client wanted to leave your son at your house for lunch, is that correct?"

"Probably," Robin replies with a shrug of his shoulders, "You'll have to ask her that."

"But that didn't happen because your son ended up going to your parents' house, right?" the man focuses his gaze on Robin, causing him to shift in his seat as he glances at Regina seeking for some comfort. She provides him that, he doesn't even know why, but she does it. She shouldn't since she did what she did, but it's not the time to be thinking about that now, this is the time to think about Roland.

"Yes, I wanted to make sure someone could watch him," he explains, "I told Marin I would call my mother to take care of him, but she insisted she'd do that herself," he feels the brunette's gaze on him, completely focused, and he tries his best to avoid her, focuses his own attention on her lawyer as he continues, "I was very sad that I had missed a lunch with my son, but I knew I couldn't watch him, and my mother is always our first choice."

The man's features soften a little at that, clearing his throat as he regains his composure once again.

"Can you tell me, what did you say to explain to your son why he couldn't have lunch with his father that afternoon?" Marian's lawyer asks, accusation pretty clear in his voice as he makes his question. Robin already knows that is the boy who suffers from all of this, he's being pulled by each of his parents, so it's not Marian's lawyer who has to pretend to be worried about Robin's son, he's the father.

But he also knows that the man is doing his job, and that he will have to put up with every bullshit he throws his way, even if that means he'll indirectly blame Robin. So he manages to avoid the role of eyes he was dying to throw that man and leans towards the microphone, a genuine tone in his voice as he says, "Marian told him I wasn't feeling well. I just promised him I would make up for it at the weekend. I really intended to do that."

Marian's layer clears his throat, his eyes falling to the papers at the realization that Robin didn't even want to lie to the boy in an attempt to explain the situation, this is who he is. But he eventually looks back at the blue-eyed man, and then announces he has no more questions, leaving the spot in front of the judge as he makes his way towards a not-too-amused Marian.

For a few minutes, while the judge examines the case, there's silence. Regina keeps her eyes on the man in front of them, probably trying to read him as he flips through the papers, and Robin feels slightly nervous again, but keeps that to himself, his face neutral and calm as if he was winning the custody. And then, finally, the judge raises his head from the documents, glancing between Regina and Marian's lawyer as he starts, "What happened was an accident and based on the evidenced I heard, I would say Mr. Locksley didn't do it on purpose, or at least, didn't do it knowing he would have to watch the child in question. So I want to try and keep this agreement, maybe give Mr. Locksley a few more days and see how it goes, alright?"

They nod in agreement, at least he'll have a few more days with his son. It's a start.

###

Regina remains in the room to talk to Marian's lawyer, and when she finally leaves to catch Robin, he's already arriving in his car, opening the door to slide into the driver seat. He's disappointed, again, not a trace of his dimpled smile Regina likes so much to see on his lips. No, she just sees a frown on his features, his eyes watering. She recognizes this face from the last time they had been in this situation, when he'd stormed out of the courtroom and didn't want to talk to anyone. She wished she could soothe him, he's clearly upset and she just wanted to be able to help him. This judge is clearly one of those who never takes a child from its mother and they will have to find another way if they want to win time with Roland.

"Robin," she calls, his blue eyes shifting to see her approaching him, making him get out of the car once again to meet her, "I'm so sorry."

"You don't have to apologize," Robin replies, gesturing for her to get into the vehicle so they could have a little bit more privacy. She moves towards the passenger seat, pulling the door open to occupy the spot beside him on the front, and she waits as he kills the ignition, the radio falling silent as he continues, "It's not your fault."

She shakes her head, because that's not entirely true, she did her best, but she can always do more. Damn judge, damn rules. She always feels she's not doing her job, she knows Robin wouldn't allow her to feel like that, so that's why she keeps it to herself.

"Do you want to see Henry?" she asks, an attempt to make his day better.

Robin nods his head, answers, "Can I?"

The smile his reply puts on Regina's lips is one of pity, not really pity for him, but for the fact that he has to ask her for permission to see his older son. It seems to be something he'll have to get used to in his life. But she immediately tells him that of course, he can see the boy, explaining that since she brought her car this morning he'll have to follow her home. So he does just that. He drives towards Regina's house, parking on the free spot in front of the bushes that decorate her front garden.

"I believe I have to warn you, the girl you met at Granny's diner the other morning… she's taking care of them," Regina teases, searching for her keys before opening the door to welcome him once again into her pleasant home.

"Thanks for the warning," he replies, and then his lips tilt up as he sees his son walking down the stairs, running towards them – his hair still disheveled, the pajamas still on his body, "Hi, little man."

This is Ruby doing, Regina thinks with a roll of eyes, not really expecting to find her son as he just had left the bed. She glances at the living room, spotting said woman approaching them with Dylan in her arms.

"Is this a slumber party?"

The girl laughs, her eyes finding Robin as she glances behind the brunette, and then she's frowning, and the mood in the room changes when Henry wraps his arms around Robin's torso in a hug. Regina doesn't want to have to explain the situation to the girl, even more, her being Daniel's cousin, but she sees the look in her eyes, not that she's upset, but she's definitely intrigued, even if she doesn't make any questions. She just remains still, her gaze shifting between Regina and the blue-eyed man, and everything is a little awkward now.

Robin's eyes search for Regina's, his hand moving to Henry's back. She just wants to end this and send the young girl home – why does every time Robin sees himself in her house something strange has to happen? Can't he just live his life in peace?

"Robin. We already met," he stretches his free hand for Ruby to shake, "And who is this cute fellow?"

He hasn't met Dylan, Regina remembers. That's something she can talk about, at least. So she reaches to take her younger son in her arms, placing a kiss on his cheek.

"This is Dylan, my son," Regina tells him, his hand rising to caress the baby's face, the dimples back on his cheeks again at the sight of Regina addressing her younger boy once again, "Can you say hi? Robin is mommy's friend."

A quiet 'hi' comes from the baby, his smile widening when Robin replies him back.

"He's beautiful, has your smile," he addresses Regina, and she can't help the blush that crams her cheeks at his compliment. She has to remind herself that he's not flirting, that the nature of their relationship doesn't allow things like that – he would definitely not flirt with her after everything she had done – but, nevertheless, she likes that they are walking the right direction again, try to get along for their and Henry's sake. It feels good.

So, for this moment, she just enjoys it, smiles and thanks him before turning to Ruby to do the same for watching the boys that morning, "Do you want to lunch with us, or-"

"Oh, no," the girl interrupts, her head shaking vehemently at Regina's question, "I wouldn't want to spoil such moment."

"You wouldn't."

"I would," the girl argues, and alright. If she wants to go. Why did she ask?

So she walks the brunette to the door, waves her goodbye before closing the surface behind her. She doesn't even know if Robin will lunch with them, it's close from lunchtime, but she hadn't really asked him. She should, now, and she'll do just that, especially after witnessing how Henry hugged him when they arrived. Her voice is low, shy when she asks, "Will you lunch with us?"

"I would like that," he answers with a smile, his hand moving up and down Henry's back, caressing the boy without taking his eyes off her, his blue eyes locking on hers, making her heart beat loudly in her chest and her grip to tighten around Dylan. That's not something acceptable between them anymore, but they don't seem to worry about it. She likes to look at him.

She holds his gaze, and her belly twitches with nerves, her teeth moving to trap her lower lip before she clears her throat and shifts her attention to their son to tell him to take a shower and dress something that's not his pajamas. He complies and moves to unwrap his arms from around his father, tells them he wants to know what happened in court – which makes Robin's gaze fall to the floor - before running towards the stairs and disappear on the top floor.

"I'm sorry, are you alright?" she asks, placing Dylan on the floor and taking a step in his direction, immediately regretting her decision when he cringes at her movement.

"I am," he assures, nodding his head as his eyes follow Dylan walking towards the living room. This is probably too much for him, seeing her enjoying time with her sons without having to explain herself to anybody, "I really am."

"You don't look fine," Regina points out, because she just wants to help him. Isn't that her job as his lawyer? They had crossed that line a few times since they met again, but nevertheless, this is her job, and she wants to believe Robin is her friend… and he's her son's father, he's so much to her than they want to believe, "Please, talk to me, I want to help."

She takes another step in his direction, her hand reaching for him, but he just moves away from her touch, takes a step back, the distance between them increasing once again as he tells her, "I don't want to talk, Regina," her hand falls to her side, then, a breath coming out of her nose, his eyes dropping shut as he continues, "This is way more difficult than I thought."

"What is difficult?" she asks, he was fine a few moments ago, before Henry had mentioned the court or she had remembered to reach for him. But she wants to help, if this is about Roland he should know already that he can talk to her, can tell her anything.

"I'm really trying to…" Robin starts, and she already knows what he's trying to tell her, she should know that the hearing about Roland's custody would bring to his memory the years he lost with Henry, maybe he's not ready to forgive her, he probably will one day, but not now, and she shouldn't force him with lunches and meetings at her house. She can see his internal battle through his eyes as he stares at her, continuing, "I _want_ to go back to the way things were between us. I want to forgive you but…" his words settle heavy in her chest, the hurt in his eyes she knows was caused by her, "You lied to me. For ten years. I had the right to meet him."

"I'm sorry," she rushes to say, her voice low, "I'm really sorry."

"You already apologize and I believe you. But I'll need time, ten years can't be replaced just like that."

"I know that," she assures, her mind drifting to Henry's childhood, "But I'm trying to make up for it."

He sighs at her words, nods his head as he replies, "Well, thank you, but this is hard for both of us, then."

"I'm sorry," Regina repeats, not knowing what else to say in this situation. She already explained her point, he already explained how he's handling this situation, there's no point to go over this issue all over again. The shake of his head makes her close her eyes, and she fights the urge to reach for him a second time if he hadn't made it pretty clear that he doesn't _want_ her to do it, he has his arms crossed over his chest, his gaze focused on the floor.

The tears in his eyes and the sadness plastered on his features are the worst he can show her right now. She can't handle seeing him cry because of this again, knowing she can't do anything to help him, to soothe him. But he pulls himself together, takes a deep breath and controls the tears the best he can, because he didn't forget he is in her house. With Henry upstairs getting ready to meet them for lunch anytime now.

"Henry wants to invite you to his birthday party next Saturday."

Robin looks at her at those words, eyes wide as he replies, "Really? I would love to be present," and she thinks that at least he's back to the Robin who gets along with her for the sake of their son, "Roland would love to, but," he interrupts his own words, sighing once again as they hear the boy walk down that stairs, already dressed and ready for lunch.

"I'm sure Henry would love to meet him if you agree and have the opportunity to bring him," Regina tells him, and Robin knows it will be hard, but by the look on his face, Regina can tell he'll try.

"So, is Roland living with you now?"

"Henry."

"What, mom?" he rolls his eyes at the brunette, and she shifts her gaze to Robin, mutters an 'I'm sorry' before the blue-eyed man shakes his head, assuring her it's okay, he can explain the situation the best he can to his older son. Regina doesn't want him to think he _has_ to do it, Henry is a kid he doesn't have to know everything that's going on, but she appreciates his effort, and is glad to have someone to help her to talk about this issue with a ten-years-old.

Henry continues with a ' _So…?'_ and Regina wonders when did her son got so stubborn - this situation affects everyone, it appears. Her heart warms when Robin wraps his arm around the boy's shoulders, guiding him towards the living room and leaving Regina standing in the foyer.

* * *

 **Here's another chapter! I promise you we are getting to the moment you want to see. Please tell me what you thought, I love to read your reviews.**

 **To Anny Rodrigues: I totally agree with you, but I'm so bad at keeping Outlaw Queen apart :P I hope you continue to like this story anyway and thank you for your opinion.**

 **See you all next chapter!**


	13. Chapter 13

Chapter 13.

On the day of Henry's eleventh birthday, Regina wakes up early to get everything ready for his party. Not that she has a lot to prepare, she had paid for his birthday to be in a place where her son and his friends could burn some energy – climbing walls, laser tag, a slide – but she still has to wrap his present (a Harry Potter's game he has been asking her to buy him for some time now) and she still has to collect his cake, not to mention she wants to doll up a little before they leave the house, it's her son's birthday after all.

"So, what do you need my help for?" Emma asks as she sits in one of the benches at the kitchen counter and takes a bite of the pancakes Regina cooked them for breakfast. She knows Henry loves them – loves to soak them in chocolate that's what it is, but she doesn't have in herself to care, not today – so she didn't think twice when she asked herself what she would cook, allowing herself and her family on a day to eat all the treats they love.

"I need you to fetch Henry's birthday cake from Granny's if you don't mind," Regina answers, taking the mug with her coffee to her lips before continuing, "I have to help them to get dressed and get ready myself, you know, do my hair and stuffs like that."

"Something I should know?" Emma asks, taking a sip of her own drink to help what's left of the pancakes in her mouth to descend to her stomach. That woman eats like a child and it was just able to ruin a perfect breakfast. So much for a meal with an adult.

She really needs to get out more, a day per week, maybe. She always spends her days with her sons or all by herself, she needs to have some girls' night out or just go to the movie to watch anything other than cartoons rated over four years old. She'll suggest that to her friends, and then will return to her life as a single mother. Or maybe she just needs to meet people, get a specific someone out of her head.

"Yes," Regina answers, causing Emma's brows to arch at her friend's confession, "It's a Harry Potter's cake and it must say 'Happy birthday Henry'."

The blonde's shoulders fall in defeat, "C'mon, Regina, any news on men's department?"

"I can't believe you are asking me that," Regina is out of her seat in seconds and makes her way towards the sink to wash her dishes, focusing more attention on it than the necessary, "You know what's been going on in my life."

"That's why I'm asking," Emma argues, "How are things with Robin?"

"Don't want to talk about it," Regina answers, scrubbing her mug with an excessive amount of strength, "And don't push me to do it, please. We both need time to deal with this, so respect that," the blonde nods, placing her own dishes in the sink beside Regina's, "I will talk to you when I'm ready."

Regina is glad she doesn't ask any more questions about him. It surprises her – this is not Emma's at all – but she appreciates it, makes sure to let her know that. She really thought they were making improvements, that he would forgive her. But, at the same time, she understands Robin. She had ruined everything.

"Alright, why don't I do this and you just go get ready," Emma says gently, pushing the brunette so she could finish to do the dishes, "You know, do your hair and stuffs like that."

Regina's lips tilt up in a smile as she hears her friend parroting her own words, Emma always knows how to make her feel better, "I invited my mother to his party."

The sound that comes from the sink when Emma lets the mug fall from her hands, let's Regina know that it was probably not the best idea, "You did what?" Emma glances at her friend, at the same time she wipes her hands on the dishtowel, her hazel eyes are wide, but she wasn't expecting less than that at this news, "You invited your mother?"

"I did," Regina confirms, her belly twisting with nerves. If she could just go back in time…

"How does Henry feel about that?" Emma asks, leaning her back against the counter and crossing her arms over her chest, studying the brunette, "I mean, he knows she's coming, right?" Regina's eyes fall to the floor, making Emma gasp, "You didn't tell him?"

"I don't want to ruin his birthday!" Regina protests, taking her hands to her face to cover her eyes in despair, "I didn't want to invite her, but she's my mother and she wants to see Henry. She pretty much invited herself when I mentioned this party."

Emma sighs in defeat, what can she do?

"You have to tell him before the party, Regina. Just think what will happen when Henry sees her. He has to know, he has to be prepared, at least."

"I know, I intended to tell him."

"When?" Emma asks, staring at her friend, "Your mother will walk into his party and be her usual self in front of your kid's friends. I'll not let her make Henry have a hard time at his own party, neither will allow her to make you feel bad. That's what she always does."

"She promised me to behave," Regina assures, her hands reaching for Emma, "Please, I need you to be on my side on this one, Henry will hate it."

Emma's reply is a can-you-blame-him look, and well, she's right, "I'll make her swallow every unpleasant word she throws at you two."

"I love you," Regina smiles, and then she stares at Emma for a moment, before she wraps her arms around the blonde and pulls her for a hug, "Is it a bad time to tell you Robin will be at the party as well?"

An awful time, Regina thinks when she feels Emma stiffen under her embrace, shaking her head as she tightens the grip around the brunette. This day will not be boring, that's for sure. Henry will never forget it, the question is: will it be for good reasons?

###

Friday night, Robin had talked to Marian to know if he could take Roland to a 'friend's kid party' since this was her weekend with their son. He'd not told her that the boy in question is his son, of course, but he had expressed proximity with that family, telling her his mother was an old friend (it's not a lie) and that the boy had wanted to meet Roland for a while now. She had accepted, so Robin had picked him up still that night, planning to use the following morning to buy something for Henry. He has no idea what to buy him, he probably will end up calling Regina to ask what he should buy for his own son. He hates this.

So here he is, parking his car in one of the few free spots he could find in the parking lot of the mall. It's nine in the morning, who goes shopping at nine in the morning? Apparently, everybody, judging by the amount of cars occupying every inch of the parking. But Robin has to find a gift. He'd searched on the internet for a few ideas, ending up with a list of typical things to offer to an eleven-years-old: clothes, books, games, all things he knows Henry isn't lacked of. Well, he'll have to buy him something. Maybe Roland will be more creative.

He wants something different. Wants to feel like a father who knows his son like the back of his hand, knows his every interest. Not someone who showed up ten years later in his life.

So he will search the whole mall if he needs to. Will just end up with the usual gifts if he doesn't find anything, if he runs out of time – he'd made sure to start this quest early, to make sure he has plenty of time (he has, almost four hours), but he doesn't want to spend that time in a mall, especially with a four-year-old.

So with that in mind, he had guided them towards the video game store first, even if he knows Henry doesn't need any more games to keep him in front of the TV. He had searched every rack, talked to the employee (he'd shown him the last game wanted by every boy Henry's age, but that means that, or he already has it, or probably will be Regina's gift for him) so as he expected, they leave the store with empty hands and a future expense for Robin who promised Roland he would buy him a new game on his birthday.

Now they were back at the beginning, with hundreds of options to follow. They had gone to the bookstore next, the biggest one Robin could find, with all types of books and novels. He didn't really believe he'd find something there, judging from the amount of books Henry owned already, but it didn't hurt to give it a try.

Robin searched on the kids and teens' section, and had not been surprised when nothing caught his eye – Regina had told him the boy liked Harry Potter, but that doesn't mean he has, and had, read all the books already? The amount of time they spent in that particular store had Robin carrying Roland in his arms, reminding him that the energy of a four-year-old didn't last for hours straight when they were shopping. He's still a baby, no matter what, and they needed to rush if Robin didn't want to take a sleepy child to Henry's birthday party. He'd already his head placed on Robin's shoulders, his little fingers playing with the small hairs on the back of his father's neck.

He's definitely getting tired, and they'd just checked two stores.

But they haven't found the gift for Henry yet, Robin thinks, looking at the map of the stores and trying to decide where they could go next. He'll try the clothing ones now, it's not a creative present, but maybe he'll offer him a garment from one of the brands the boys Henry's age like but that it's too expensive to fill the wardrobe with it. It's not like he can't spend more money on the first piece of clothing he'll buy his son.

It's settled then, he has a present to buy, something he can even say that Regina will find useful – that's a big bonus, the last thing parents want is all types of craps taking up space of the house.

He's already walking up the stairs towards the floor where all the clothing stores are located, decided to finish this to take his toddler home (he'd managed to convince Roland to hold on a little longer, promising he would allow him a trip to the toy store), when he's stopped in his tracks by the excited voice of his four-year-old, his hand pointing to something behind his father.

A stand displaying a stuffed griffin that immediately drawn Roland's attention.

It's awfully familiar to Robin, but he can't tell exactly where did he see that creature before. Probably in one of his son's cartoons, or in one of the commercials they insist on playing on TV the whole time. One thing Robin knows, he can't waste time window-shopping right now and would definitely be grateful if he can end this day without having to deal with a tantrum when he has to explain to his son that they are not shopping for them, they are looking for a gift for a friend.

He promises him he'll return here to buy him the plush toy another time, that they have to hurry now, but Roland is tired, and tiredness makes the children grumpy. He shakes his head strongly, and Robin shuts his eyes in despair, knowing he won't get out of that situation so easily – he's terrible at saying no to his boy and right now, he just wants to get this over with.

"Alright," Robin agrees, placing the boy back on the floor. His dimples show up immediately, his brown curls shaking as he starts to run towards the stand, pointing to the toy when he stops in front of the employee. Marian would scold him right away if she saw how he surrenders to their son's pleas, "Roland, I would just know how much it costs, alright?"

"This one is a little expensive," the girl admits, reaching for a similar but smaller toy, "But we have these ones."

Robin thanks her and turns to look at his son, noticing the boy wasn't where he just left him a few seconds before, "Roland!" Robin calls worried, looking around him to try to spot the boy, his eyes wide, his heart beating frantically in his chest. He was just beside him a few seconds ago, where could have he gone?

But as soon as he moves, he spots the boy on the other side of the stand, and Robin lets out a breath of relief, the thoughts of having lost his son in the mall quickly dissipating from his mind. He was already thinking the worst, but the boy was just checking the other toys in display, and Robin pushes those thoughts away from his mind. He won't get his eyes off his son again, though.

"Papa, what is this?"

Robin examines the wooden object his son is trying to show him, frowns, "What…?" his hands reaching for the item, "Roland, you're a genius."

"Why?"

"Because you found the gift we were looking for," Robin answers, feeling a little better now that they probably have the solution for their problem. They can finally go home, and he has the perfect gift for a Harry Potter's fan, "Excuse me," Robin turns back to the employee, "Can you tell me more about this?"

The girl nods, reaches for the toy, "This is an exact replica of Harry Potter's wand, collector's edition," she looks back at Robin to see him smiling widely at her, his dimples fully on display as every time he smiles. He's really afraid to ask the price – it has to cost a good amount of money – but it's so perfect, "Are you a fan?"

"Not me," Robin replies, "But I know someone who would love it."

The girl chuckles, her teeth trapping her bottom lip, "I'll tell you this, if you buy it, I offer you the stuffed griffin to your son."

"Oh, I…" Robin stumbles with her words, confused, he doesn't want her to think he was trying to get a promotion, it had nothing to do with that, he was just trying to be nice, "Thank you, I can't accept, I can pay for the two things."

"I know, I want to," the girl assures, decided to make him accept her offer even if he doesn't really understand why.

For a moment, there's silence while Robin considers her offer.

"Please," the girl starts again, her posture changing suddenly, her teeth trapping her lower lip once again, "You can pay me a dinner if you want."

Bloody hell.

"I'm sorry, I didn't mean…" but why is he explaining himself? He didn't flirt with her, he didn't give her any signal that he could be interested in a date, "I'm sorry if I gave you the wrong impression," he shakes his head, wonder if he did or said something to draw her attention, he doesn't want any more women in his life, "I'll take the two items," he says, and doesn't even give her time to protest before he adds, "And I'll pay for the two, please."

###

It's two in the afternoon when Robin arrives with Roland to the birthday party.

To his now-eleven-year-old son's party.

He has no idea how this encounter may go, but he's curious to find out. Really curious. He'd let Regina know his son was coming with him, but he has no idea if she had told Henry. Not that he minds, maybe it's even a surprise for the boy, but he doesn't know what reaction expect from his son when he knows Regina has already met Roland – when Robin thought he would get Regina's friendship back. He knows how Roland loves Regina, there's no way the boy will be able to act like he didn't know her already.

So he can say he is curious, and a little anxious to spend another afternoon with Regina. He's still on guard when it comes to their relationship and he always ends up thinking with his heart rather than his brain – he wants to forgive her, really wants, but she hid a huge part of his life from him for ten years. It's early. Or at least should be early for the type of feelings he has towards her. Everything but hate.

And there she is.

In her high heels, comfortable dress, tending to a scratch one of Henry's friend had suffered during their games. The last thing Robin needed right now was a reminder that he could've witnessed her in her mother role if things didn't have turned the way they had, if they had remained together after the night they had created Henry. Or at least, they could have remained friends. He gets upset just to think of it, how could've him let her get away so easily? Now he just doesn't know how to deal with all types of emotions in his mind, at the same time he tells himself that she had no excuse to do what she did.

He likes her, and he doesn't know what to do about it, because that's just one more reason for him to have to be away from her. It's easier, but it's not like they can do that when they have a child together. And even if they choose not to see each other, he has to talk to her about their son.

And that's exactly why he's here today, because of their son. Because it's his birthday and Robin vowed to himself that he wouldn't miss another one. Ten is more than enough, he just wished to be able to really focus his attention on the boy rather than his mother. Only today, just for the time he is on his son's birthday party.

It's easier say than done, though.

As Regina finishes with the boy, she glances at Robin's direction, her brown eyes burrowing into his, making goosebumps appear all over his skin, his stomach turning when she starts making her way towards them.

There are a few kids in the party already, the place is big enough so they can play all they want, so it's not easy to know where did Henry came from when she calls him to greet Robin. He already seems bigger. He just met his son a few days ago and he's already turning eleven, he's almost a teenager now. He knows he missed almost all his childhood, the most important life's milestones, but couldn't they give him a little bit more time?

He looks happy, though, running towards them right after Regina had pointed to Robin to show her son where his father is waiting for him. Robin doesn't think he's seen Roland yet, or at least, give much importance to the fact that he has a four-year-old right there beside him, so the boy launches himself against Robin, making him wrap his arms around his son to lift him in a hug, "Happy birthday, lad."

Henry tightens his grip a little, then thanks him before Robin places him on the floor once again, watching as Regina approaches them a few seconds later. Roland is already bouncing on his feet, anxious to greet Regina with the same amount of happiness with Henry greeted Robin, so his son's cry of "Gina!" it's not even a surprise, immediately putting a smile on the brunette's lips.

"Hi, sweetheart," she replies, stretching her arms to pull him into her embrace, "How are you?"

"Daddy bought me a griffin!" he announces excitedly, showing her the toy in his hands as Robin notices the look on Henry's face for hearing the little boy call Robin 'daddy' – or maybe was just for recognizing the creature from the Harry Potter's movies. Well, there it goes the surprise for his older son's gift. Regina widens her eyes in response to the boy's enthusiasm, enough to make Robin's heart melt – she is always like this with his son, encouraging him to tell her everything he wants to, even if she doesn't really care.

"Does he have a name?"

"Buckbeak, it's from Harry Potter," Henry points out, approaching the boy and kneeling in front of him. Robin glances at Regina, noticing the smile on the brunette's lips - an emotional smile - before he looks back at Roland, watching his son handing the toy to Henry for him to hold. Robin longed to see moments like this, see the interaction between both his boys, "Cool, right…"

"Roland," Robin completes, the griffin going back to his owner's hands. The little boy hands the toy to his father then, and a chuckle leaves Robin's lips to know he'll probably have to carry the toy for the rest of the afternoon, "And Roland, this is Henry."

"Nice to meet you, Roland, do you want to play?" Henry's arm stretches towards his brother, intent to lead him towards the rides. Regina didn't really think of Roland when she booked her son's party here, there's a climbing wall, laser tag, slide, but none of those things seem to be suitable enough for a four-year-old to join the fun. Maybe she can take him to the bouncy house, Henry doesn't like it anymore, but the younger boy would find it funny.

It's just her luck that the place has that amount of offers, even if Henry could spare a few things. She thinks she saw a playground near the entrance too. So there are swings and a slide, that could do.

Regina looks around her and Robin, noticing they had been left alone and that Henry was already talking to the man responsible for the laser tag and pointing to Roland, probably knowing if they can play together. Her son will get a way, he always does. But now, she and Robin are just there standing awkwardly, and neither of them thought about this when Regina invited him to the party.

"Can I get you something?"

Robin shifts his gaze from his boys, knowing that Henry will take care of Roland, and he looks back at Regina, noticing her brown eyes staring at him. She starts to guide him towards the table with the snacks and the drinks, letting him know he can make himself at home. He could use a drink, not this type of drinks, but he's on a child's birthday party, so he imagines Regina doesn't have anything alcoholic. It's hard just to be around her, just for her standing there beside him, making sure he feels comfortable.

And he is. Too much comfortable, that's the problem. He shouldn't feel like that with her. Not with the woman who kept him from meeting his son.

He's upset with himself because he shouldn't care for her, but he does, very much.

"Robin?" she interrupts his thoughts, stopping right between him and the table. Is it too bad if he asks for a beer?

He has a few more hours to kill, and he won't get tipsy again, he just wants something to keep him entertained.

"I could drink something," he nods his head, and then she's turning around, signaling for him to follow her. He goes without questions, but he doesn't really want to be alone with her, not if they can avoid it. Regina reaches for a cooler, a few meters from where they were standing beside the table, and lifts the cover, "Help yourself."

"You brought beer for an eleven-year-old birthday party?" Robin raises his brow, reaching for one as he changes the subject, "Where is Dylan?"

"With Emma, she should be here soon," she reaches for one too, closing the cover once again. She didn't think much about the fact that Emma will face Robin again after all these years, after everything that happened between them, but that's the point. What happened was between them. Robin and Regina. There's nothing to do with her son's father and her best friend, "Are you okay with that?"

He takes a sip of his drink, thinking about her question. He'll see Emma again after all this time, is he okay with that?

"Regina, she's your friend, I don't have to say anything about that, but if you must know, yes, I'm alright."

Regina's lips tilt up slightly in a smile, and she takes her drink to her lips in an attempt to mask it as Robin keeps studying her with his gaze, a little proof of her anxiety in the way she tightens the grip around the bottle.

"There's something else I would like to tell you," her words make Robin stop halfway his sip, his attention now completely focused on her, "I invited my mother to the party," Regina spits out, "And I didn't even tell Henry yet."

"Why?" She's his grandmother, won't he be happy to know she'll be present at his birthday party? "Do you want me to keep it a surprise?"

Regina's eyes drop to the floor, her lips pressed together as she shakes her head. He recognizes a sad expression when he sees one, and he can definitely say that is the expression on Regina's features at that moment. Her body is tense, and he tries his best to remember Regina's mother, but they never met more than two or three times, so he doesn't really know what's bothering her right now.

"Why don't you get that off your chest?" Robin offers, urging her to sit on the chairs beside them.

She nods her head once again, and takes another sip of her drink, placing it on the cooler's cover as Robin does the same, giving her all his attention. He can do this for her. She's supposed to be his friend.

"Henry will be upset, my mother is… a difficult person to deal with," she starts to tell him, and Robin's expression turns into a frown, his eyebrows meeting in confusion.

"But she's his grandmother."

She bites her bottom lip, shakes her head and explains, "She never really cared about him, but… I guess she is, yes."

"Well, I think you did the right thing to invite her," Regina just blinks, "You're a good person."

"Even if that will spoil your son's birthday party?" she points out, starting to feel the burden of her decision. Regina reaches for her drink once again, takes a sip before place it where it was a few seconds before.

"I doubt that something or someone can ruin his party. He's really happy," he assures her, "And Henry is a good kid, he will understand."

"I don't want him to have to deal with her on his birthday," her frown deepens, and her eyes close, trying to compose herself. At least, she's not crying. He never knows how to deal with Regina when she's crying. So Robin gives her a sympathetic nod of his head, putting them in a deep silence as he moves to reach for his drink.

What now? He can continue to soothe her, but he doesn't even know the woman they are talking about.

Robin drinks his beer and looks at her again, keeping the bottle in his hands to stop himself the urge to reach for her, "I bought him the Harry Potter's wand. Do you think it will help?" he tries to cheer her up, almost succeeding.

He can see the shy smile on her lips and the way she raises her head to look back at him. She shakes her head when she giggles, and for a few seconds, her eyes lock with his, brown ones gazing deeply into light blue.

It's the second time they have a moment like this today, and he doesn't want to give her the wrong idea when he made pretty clear what he's feeling right now… or part of it.

Regina clears her throat, her teeth trapping her bottom lip.

"He will love it, I think it will be one of the few things that can soothe him after the news," Regina assures him. She's certain her son will be crazy about it. The Harry Potter's wand, it could just be better if it really worked, "I have to tell him, Robin."

"You have," he agrees. And the sooner as possible. Before Henry knows from someone else… or from seeing his grandmother arriving at his party. She should've already told him, "I can leave you two alone, if you want to."

Regina shakes her head, her hands reaching to grab his arm, "No, I would rather have you here."

It's both, torture and a blessing, that she wants him to be present for this conversation. She's welcoming him in Henry's life, he notices, for the good and bad moments, giving him an opportunity to be a real father to the boy. But this will have to be fixed between them two, and he can't really interfere with Regina's decisions about her family.

"Did you tell her…" Robin starts, "Does she know I'm Henry's father?"

"She doesn't," she answers, shaking her head and reaching for her drink, taking a sip. Robin feels a weight being lifted from his chest. But then she's addressing him again, telling him, "I didn't want to tell her just yet, she can be really mean, but if you want me to, we can talk about it," his lips are pressed together, considering her suggestion, "I'll get Henry."

And then she moves away from him, calling their son as he plays with Roland a few meters from them, and scooping the younger boy into her arms as they approach her. Regina wraps her free arm around her son and leads both kids to where Robin is waiting for them, still drinking his beer as he thinks about Regina's question. Does he want her mother to know about him? Is he ready to deal with her?

He's pushed away from his thoughts when Regina occupies her previous seat, seating Roland on her legs, Henry occupying the free spot on Robin's lap.

"So," the boy starts, looking between his father and mother before he continues, "What do you want to tell me?"

Regina looks at Robin, and he gives her a slight nod of his head. She needs to tell him, should've told him already before the party start, but since she can't go back in time, she has to make up for it now. Henry will understand, he's the best kid Robin could ask to have as his son. So he watches as he tightens the grip around Roland's little body, reshuffles him in her lap, and focus her attention on her own boy. He's waiting.

"I invited your grandmother to the party," she waits to see any reaction from the boy, but when nothing comes, she continues, "She called me earlier and she wanted to see you. You know she loves you."

She gives him a sad smile, even though she doesn't believe in her own words, keeping her eyes on his face and watching as he frowns in confusion, his lips resembling a pout. Cora has never shown any interest to get to know her own grandson, but if it looks good to appear at his birthday party, she'll do that. Because it's all about the appearances with that woman. And now is Henry who suffers. Regina shouldn't allow this.

Shaking his head, Henry rises from Robin's lap, surprising both his parents, "No, she doesn't."

"She wants to wish you a happy birthday," Regina settles for that, the only thing she thinks it may be true, but he rolls his eyes, sighing in exasperation, "She's your grandmother, Henry, and I promise you she'll just stay to sing you Happy Birthday, she can't stay longer anyway," Regina whispers those last words to herself, allowing Robin to remove his son from her lap and pulling Henry to occupy his spot, her arms encircling his waist.

Her promise seems to soothe him a little, just as the prospect that he won't have to dinner with his grandmother on the night of his birthday, "I know she's not easy to deal with, and is not a caring person," Regina moves her hand, running it up and down her son's back, "But she likes us, and cares about us, she just has her own way to show it."

He mutters something similar to a _'yeah, right'_ , and it breaks Regina's heart to see that her mother's behavior doesn't let Henry know that she likes him. He's her grandson, how can she not care about him? Even if she knows the whole history about Henry's childhood. At least, she doesn't know about Robin. Regina never told her who the father was and her mother never asked either, so they remained like that, excluding Robin of their lives. With Cora had been for the best, Regina doesn't have any doubts about that.

That remembers her of another thing she wants to talk to her son, making Regina adjust him in her lap, turning him a bit towards her, "Henry, I think it's better if you don't mention Robin to her, alright? I'll talk to her when I think it's right."

"I won't," Henry promises her, asking if he can return to his games. She nods her head and kisses his cheek, "Oh, I almost forgot, can Robin and Roland stay with us for dinner tonight? Please, mom, it's my birthday."

"We'll talk about that after the party, alright?" Regina changes the subject, "Now go play with your friends."

"I love you," Henry says, making his parents chuckle as he grabs Roland's hand once again, "C'mon, I'll show you more games."

Robin's smile widens, watching as both his sons leave them alone to return to the fun. How was he so lucky? Despite what happened, and the fact that he wasn't able to witness his older son growing, Robin considers himself lucky, because life brought them together in the end. But then he turns more serious, and turns to Regina, pointing out, "You don't want to tell your mother."

"I don't," Regina agrees as she focuses her attention on the blue-eyed man, "Not before you have the opportunity to meet her, and what's better than a birthday party where you are just the father of one of Henry's friend."

"Alright," Robin nods, rising from his seat and grabbing the two empty bottles they had left over the cooler, throwing it into the dumpster, "Thank you, now tell me what do you need help for."

"Nothing," Regina assures, leaving her seat too and following him towards the table with the snacks, "Everything is taken care of."

Robin rolls his eyes and grabs a popcorn from one of the bowls, popping it into his mouth, "If you say so."

Regina assures him that it is, shifting her gaze to the several kids playing around the space, split over the several activities - it's a good thing there are counselors to watch them. And at least she's feeling better for having told everything to Henry. She finally can enjoy the party, enjoy the day with her son. She feels lighter, a bit more confident to deal with her mother. So she occupies a free seat near the table, allowing herself to relax for a bit.

A bit indeed.

Because her mother will arrive anytime soon, and she'll have to entertain her so her son can enjoy what's left of his own party. And then she'll have to put up with her rude conversations, where she'll probably criticize their choice of place for an eleven-year-old birthday party and Regina's ability to be a mother.

She shouldn't have invited her. It won't make anyone happy and she could've accepted to handle a dinner with her mother, in a place she would've chosen. It would have prevented a lot of what Regina knows is yet to come.

But then she hears the distinct sound of high heels hitting the pavement, the well recognizable voice of a woman, calling her, "Regina, dear!"

* * *

 **Hello, I had to split this chapter because it was getting too long, but I hope you liked it anyway, the best is yet to come ;)**

 **Tell me if you liked it, and thanks for the reviews.**


	14. Chapter 14

Chapter 14. 

"Regina, dear!"

Regina takes a deep breath as she hears her mother's voice calling for her, while Robin looks behind her to see the woman approaching them, wearing a black suit as if she was going to a meeting rather than a kid's birthday party. But Regina can say she looks the same, not a single difference over these last few months they spent without seeing each other. Her mother definitely doesn't change, not physically, not emotionally.

Even if sometimes Regina thinks she's finding the right direction and is starting to show she wants to redeem herself, something makes her change her mind and she's back to who she uses to be. There's no hope for her.

So Regina puts a smile on her face, her gaze focusing on Robin one last time before she shifts it to meet her mother's and makes her way towards the older woman.

"Hello, mother."

"I couldn't find this place, Regina, what's gotten into you to have Henry's party here?" Cora looks around her to the several activities, as Regina tries to fight the urge to roll her eyes, already knowing this was coming. As she looks around, it seems pretty obvious why Henry chose to have his own birthday party there, all the kids seem to be having fun, but of course, her mother is unable to understand it. She would prefer a quiet lunch or dinner somewhere where she wouldn't hear the children's shouts of joy, or a place where she could take Henry to present him to her friends. Friends who are equally picky about petty things, "This even seems a little dangerous for the boys."

Regina bites the inside of her cheek to keep herself from answering her. Her mother knows that place it's not dangerous, she just wants to be annoying. As always. So why does Regina always finds herself giving her explanations?

"There is someone to keep an eye on them during every activity, mother, it's completely safe," Regina explains, her hands reaching for the older woman's jacket as she removes it from her body, "Apart from that, Henry is happy."

"That boy would be happy with anything, I'm sure this was your idea," Cora accuses, walking by her daughter to occupy the free chair beside Robin. Regina takes a deep breath, and another one. She's not worth it, she's just being annoying, she always is, that's the problem. But she's her mother. She shouldn't allow such behavior from her, but Regina doesn't want any more problems.

She knows it's the best she can do. Why would she lose hours of sleep when they see each other so rarely? Thank God.

"And shouldn't you be somewhere watching the kids?" Cora turns to Robin.

He stares baffled at the woman. Is she serious? Is she really mistaking him for one of the boys who are taking care of the children? Who, as a matter of fact, are identified with a shirt where it can be read the word 'Staff' and a tag with their names so there aren't any mistakes. Apparently, that's not enough. Why is she even addressing him? Robin had remained in his seat, without saying a word, trying to keep himself from bringing more problems to Regina.

"Oh, I'm sorry, madam, but I'm not…" Robin starts, stops his words and looks at Regina to try to understand what she wants him to say to her mother, "I'm not an employee, I'm the father of one of Henry's friends."

Regina looks at him with an apologetic gaze, looking as guilty as she looks ashamed. She doesn't have to feel like that, it's not her fault, though.

"Oh, I apologize," Cora whispers the next words to herself, "I didn't know everyone was invited."

"Alright, mother, that's enough," Regina raises her voice, regretting immediately her action when Cora throws her a disapproving look, "You just got here and you're already ruining your grandson's birthday party. As Mr. Locksley said, he's Roland's father and Henry made a point of inviting them."

She never stood up to her mother, she realizes, but she should've done it already. No matter how much she tries to be a good daughter, to keep up with her mother's standards, she shouldn't let her ruin her dignity. She even can handle a few things, when those things relate to her, but she can't let her affect her own son or people who don't even have to deal with her. Robin is family, yes, but she doesn't know that, and he's not Cora's family, but Henry's.

"I got confused, Regina, I'm sure Mr. Locksley didn't get offended," Cora replies, turning to Robin and raising her brow in question.

Robin glances in his sons' direction, watching as they play together, and the last thing he wants right now is to ruin Henry's party because of his grandmother's behavior, "It's no problem."

"Why don't you come with me to greet Henry?" Regina turns to her mother, desperate to keep her away from Robin, "He's playing, but he'll want to know you are here."

Regina notices how the blue-eyed man clears his throat beside them, then reaches for the phone in his pocket, trying to focus his attention on the device rather than Regina and her mother.

"My own grandson didn't come to greet me," Cora's hands reach to fix the nonexistent wrinkles in her suit when she rises from her seat, and she looks a last time towards Robin, lifting her chin as she walks by him.

 _Great, she already loves Robin_ , Regina thinks, muttering an apology to him before leaving to follow her mother. She leads her towards Henry, even if she feels guilty for ruining his time, but it's just for a few minutes, then she'll handle her mother for the sake of her son. It's just for a few hours, she reminds herself, she won't have to invite her for dinner, in fact, she's really considering Henry's request for having his father and brother as their guests.

But everything seems better in her head than in real life. She hurt Robin, and even if he's trying to be nice, she knows it hurts to be around her. He may want to fix everything, try to be friends, but he needs time, as he'd already told her.

She is pulled away from her reverie when a little body crashes against her legs, and she looks down to see Roland staring at her with his big brown eyes, at the same time Cora greets Henry. She notices, from the corner of her eye, Regina scooping up the younger boy in her arms, her attention shifting to the way her daughter holds Robin's son against her chest.

She seems confused, frowning as she looks between Henry and Roland.

Regina remains quiet, runs her hand up and down the boy's back and keeps eyeing her mother as if waiting for her to say something, "That's Dylan?"

"Mother, Dylan is two. This is Roland, Robin's son," Regina answers with a frown, unbelieving that her mother doesn't recognize her own grandson. She knows what comes next, what Cora always accuses her of, every time they see each other.

Her expression shifts immediately, her lips changing to a scowl, "If I could see them more often I wouldn't make mistakes like this," Cora argues, and Regina fights the urge to roll her eyes, placing Roland on the ground before telling both him and her son to go play.

She waits until they are out of earshot before turning to her mother, saying, "You can see them whenever you want."

Indignation crosses Cora's features, and Regina remembers every other time she had this conversation with her mother. She left home to go to college, and when she returned, pregnant with Henry, her mother tried to convince her to move close to her, claiming she would help, but Regina knows she just wanted to control her life. Just like she did when she present her to Leopold, one of her clients. She wanted to make the choices Regina has to make herself, and when she moved one hour away from her, Cora had been upset, visiting them less often to which Regina was grateful for, actually.

"Not when I have to drive one hour, no."

Regina takes a deep breath and turns her back to her mother, ignoring her protests. She leaves her standing there, trying to draw her attention, but she makes her way towards the table, decided to enjoy the birthday of his son despite her mother's antics.

###

Cora had been ruthless, between criticizing the place, arguing the food was not healthy for the children and reinforce her idea that the activities were not safe, every time a kid showed up with a scratch, Regina is about to hit the roof. She really didn't see this coming when she accepted to invite her mother to the party.

She said she would behave, even if Regina didn't actually believe in that, but she never thought she would be this annoying, and Regina is not sure she can handle it much more.

But now she is here, on her son's birthday party, and she can't turn back.

So Regina does her best to keep herself entertained, and even manages to ignore her mother while she focuses her attention on other tasks. Cora had been hanging around the table with the snacks – she'd tried to resume their previous conversation, following Regina when she had left her standing alone, but without success. Apart from that, Henry's happiness is enough to make Regina happy too, glad she'd chosen this place for his party. Not that she had any doubts. Her mother is just heartless, trying to ruin everyone's good time.

The kids are having fun, some parents are there too, so Regina keeps herself busy making sure the snacks and the drinks are replaced when they finish. She pours herself a glass of coke to replace her urge to actually reach for another beer – it would be the third, and she doesn't really want to give her mother more things to protest about.

She spots Emma arriving with her son by her hand, while she carries Henry's cake in the other, something that makes Regina pray that said cake doesn't fall to the ground moments away from them to sing her son 'happy birthday'. Emma has left with Dylan to pick up the cake, as Regina had asked her to, so there was no way Henry could spoil the surprise – it would be awful if that surprise would end up in the trash.

"Hey, momma," Emma greets as Regina grabs the box with the cake, placing it on the table where there was no danger for that to fall, "How is everything?"

 _Couldn't be better,_ she thinks absently, but she shrugs anyway, telling her, "My mother is here, Robin is seated right beside her," and then looks in their direction as she continues, "But I'll survive. Thanks for taking care of Dylan," she reaches for her son, picking him up in her arms.

"No problem," Emma replies with a smile on her lips. She closes the distance between her and her friend, so only Regina could hear her, "I'm sorry, I wanted to come earlier."

She glances at Robin and Cora, as Regina does the same. Robin didn't seem to notice them, watching both his boys playing together. She knows what it feels to look at them and seeing them getting along so well, she can imagine how he feels to witness that moment, watching how their relationship will develop from here. And he looks good too. Wearing a navy blue t-shirt that fits well enough his body to draw Regina's attention to his torso. _Why is she thinking about that right now?_

Her breath gets caught in her throat when her eyes raise and she notices him staring back at her, she feels her heart beating harder, not really sure if she's nervous about Emma and Robin seeing each other again after everything that happened, or if she now just feels awkward to have her son's father checking her the way she was doing to him just now. Either way, Regina focus her attention back on the blonde in front of her, pulling herself together and replying, "I'm a grown up woman, I can handle both Robin and my mother, don't worry about me, please."

"If you say so," Emma teases, and Regina rolls her eyes, assures her that she's fine.

And then Robin is approaching them, leaving his seat beside Cora to certainly greet Emma after ten years without seeing his old friend – Regina tells herself that what happened between her and Robin is between her and Robin, so there's no reason for this meeting to be a disaster.

"Emma," he says, "Is good to see you again."

"You too," Emma replies with a smile, and closes the distance between them to greet him with a kiss on his cheek, making Regina breath in relief at their friendly attitude towards each other.

"Can I get you both something?" she asks, a genuine smile on her face. She's decided to make this party a good one for Henry, and at least now she knows Emma and Robin won't spoil it with an argument, her mother on the other hand…

But Robin interrupts her just before she could answer to Emma's request of a beer, insisting he will get the drinks for them and that they keep talking, "At least, I can help with that. Tell me what you want."

"The same," Regina answers, tries to remind herself that she shouldn't indulge in another beer if she doesn't want to hear from her mother right after. Screw it, if she wants a beer, she'll drink one, and it's not her mother's business to scold her about it, "And thank you."

"No problem," he assures, and then he leaves, leaving both women behind as he makes his way towards the cooler.

"So," Emma drags the 'o', causing Regina to roll her eyes and put more distance between them and where Robin is collecting the drinks for them, already knowing what it comes next. She turns to face her friend, but her eyes catch the way Robin searches the container for those said drinks, knowing he's giving them time to talk because there's no way he doesn't see the bottles right there in front of him, "He seems really nice to you."

It's a fair assumption, because Robin is trying really hard, but she doesn't know what to say to her friend – yes, he's being nice, while for ten years she was nothing more than a liar to him and she feels guilty, really guilty for everything she had done.

"We're trying to be friends," Regina explains, watching as he now searches for something to open the bottles that are already safe in his hands, and then looking back at her and telling her, "I understand that it's hard for him, but… we're trying for Henry," which assures her a not really convincing nod of Emma's head.

Regina moves a strand of hair behind her ear and prays she's not blushing. Why would she blush? It's the truth.

"I'm worried about you, Regina, since you two resumed contact, you seem… kind of lost," she explains, glancing back at the blue-eyed man, his dimples showing as he tries to gesture to say something to his son.

Regina's eyes immediately shift towards him too before she shakes her head and adjusts Dylan in her arms, assuring, "I'm fine."

"I don't think so," Emma tells her, and then Regina's gaze is back to her, her eyebrows arching, "And I don't know if it's because he's Henry's father or because you still look at him the same way you used to ten years ago."

"Emma!" Regina scolds her without thinking twice, saying, "That was ten years ago, I don't-"

"The drinks," Robin interrupts, handing them both bottles and pointing to his sons, who are gesturing for him to join them on the climbing wall, "I'll be over there, but it was good to see you, Emma."

They watch him leave, to play with his sons, one of them, he shares with the brunette. It's to make everything worse, she thinks. And Emma is not right, she can't be. She doesn't look at Robin as she used to in college, and she's sure she's not falling for him all over again, she's not.

She places her baby son back on the floor, and tries her best to keep her eyes on the blonde in front of her - it would be easier if she didn't hear Henry's cries of joy, calling for Robin to show him how high he can go on that wall. She wants to see them, how Robin acts when he's alone with her son, rather than just hear him encouraging the boy, saying he's definitely more courageous than his father. And she likes to watch them together, wants to put an image on the giggles she hears, coming from the boy.

Emma's not right, she tells herself, she is just a mother who wants to see her son happy. She doesn't like Robin. Regardless what they have in common and what they had gone through together, she doesn't like him the way Emma is implying.

Or maybe she likes.

But then Emma laughs, still looking at the blue-eyed man and shaking her head, smirking when Regina rolls her eyes and gives in to her urge to look at the scene too, just in time to see both Henry and Roland trying to talk Robin into trying the wall too. She giggles with Emma, and Regina can't keep smiling as their father shakes his head and scoops Roland up on his shoulder, making the boy laugh at his actions. They love him, and she can't understand how Marian, and even herself, could even think of pushing the boys away from him. When it comes to her, it's all in the past. Henry won't live without his father anymore.

"Did you guys talk about Henry already? How did Robin react?" Emma asks her, her voice lowering a few tones so nobody around them could hear what they are talking about. Nobody knows he's Henry's father and Regina wants to keep it that way. At least for now.

The brunette nods her head, keeps her gaze on Robin and the boys as she thinks on the conversation they had, on how far they have come since that day. She's not sure how this will continue, how they will split Henry's time when the boy starts to spend more time with his father, even see Robin's house as his own, but things look good now, and she chose to live one day at the time.

"He was upset at first, of course, but we talked, and he let me explain my point," she stops her words, thinking, "My reasons seem so stupid after hearing what he had to say. I would hate if it was the opposite and I had been pushed away from my son."

Saying it out loud makes everything even worse. Regina takes a sip of her drink, waits.

"Thinking like that will not change the situation," Emma reasons, "Your reasons were good enough at that time, now you have to work with what you have, you guys will figure it out."

"Thank you," Regina gives her a smile, though she doesn't really feel like doing it. _They are_ working with what they have, that's why Regina feels miserable, because she doesn't have the same complicity with Robin anymore. She's not sure she'll handle that too, everything regarding Robin carries mixed feelings.

Her gaze is back on the boys then, as Robin helps Roland now to get the harness on and try the climbing wall. Henry watches with an attentive gaze, removing his own and handing it to the boy helping on that activity.

"Papa, I'm gonna climb as high as Henry!" she hears Roland say, giggling as he continues, "Henry taught me how to do it and now I can show you."

Emma wraps her arm around her, sipping her own drink.

"I'll give you a moment," she tells her, holding Dylan's hand with her free one, "And I'll take this boy with me."

"Oh, you don't need-"

But she's already walking away from her, heading towards a shadow where she could sit with Dylan and play with the boy.

###

His feelings are a mess.

Seeing her right there, talking to Emma, is like they had never stopped talking to each other. He used to watch her just doing the simplest things, like talking to his friends or working on her homework, and right now he was reliving just that. It doesn't help (at all) to make up his mind about Regina. He has already gone through some moments that had made him think that he should forgive her for everything, for lying to him for ten years, but she'd hidden an important part of his life and that is not so easy to forget. It sucks, he just wished she had trusted him, but there isn't much he can do about that right now. Now the only thing he can do is to decide whether or not to forgive her.

He'd thought he would make her realize that what she did can't be solved with an apology, had wanted to show her that the whole situation was pretty serious, but, apparently, he's failing completely. He'd told her the truth, that he wants to try again and have a civilized relationship with her – for Henry's sake, always for 'Henry's sake' – and Robin is trying just that, pushing away from his thoughts the way his heart beats frantically in his chest every time she looks back at him. There are moments when he just wants to go back to what they used to be in college, that carefree relationship where they could tease and flirt with each other without a care in the world. It was easier.

Maybe it's because he missed her, or because she'd just run away from him without a last attempt to fix everything. They could've made it work, that's what bothers him the most, they could've been happy together.

It's sad. And although he'd been reluctant about leaving her with Emma to pay attention to both his sons, he knows she probably wants to open up with her best friend. He'd been anxious to face Emma after all this time, after knowing that she had covered Regina when she left college being pregnant with _his_ child, but they are best friends, after all, and the secret was not hers to tell. So he's not mad at her, not in the slightest, and had actually enjoyed seeing his friend again.

The one to blame is Regina, and himself for not making a greater effort in an attempt to win her trust back when he knew she was getting away from him.

And now here she is again, talking to their friend just a few meters away from him and _their_ son.

He thinks he should probably give more attention to the boys than to her, Henry is calling him to show he'd been able to reach the top of the climbing wall, and, after all, he's here because is Henry's birthday party. But how is he supposed to focus when he knows the women are probably talking about him too? He's only human. So he tries his best to pay more attention to his son, at the same time he steals a few glances at his mother.

 _She is beautiful_ , he thinks, before feeling smaller hands grabbing his and pulling him towards the climbing wall in an attempt to make him try the activity. And then he hears her laugh, that beautiful laugh, he'd been worthy of when they were best friends.

Bloody hell, he missed it.

He picks up his son, then, and places him on his shoulder in an attempt to mask the sound that keeps making him feel butterflies in his stomach. It works, Roland laughs even louder and because he's really close to Robin's ear, it's easier for him to focus his attention on the boy.

"Why don't you try it?" he asks Roland, placing him back on the floor and accepting the harness from the boy running the activity.

He helps his son to secure it around his body, allowing the other boy to continue the job, before he raises to his feet and glances back at Regina, just to see her standing there by herself now.

She's smiling, her eyes focused on Roland. She loves his son, that he already knows, but it makes him mirror her actions and smile nonetheless.

"Papa, can you take pictures?" Roland draws his attention, walking towards the smaller climbing wall beside the one Henry had been climbing.

He follows his son and takes his cellphone out of his pocket, holding it in his hand in a way that allows him to take a picture of both his sons standing in front of the wall, "Of course, my boy, I'll take one of you and Henry."

The older boy wraps his arm around Roland, and Robin glances a last time at Regina to check if she doesn't mind. She's smiling, good, because this will be the first picture of his sons together and Robin's sure he found his new background picture.

###

She's not sure why she keeps staring.

She can just walk towards them and share that moment with her son – yes, because Henry's her son and it wouldn't be inappropriate to want to be with him at his birthday party. She wouldn't be spending time with Robin, she would be spending time with _her_ son. And Robin. But well, he's his father and she can't keep them from being together, not anymore. And it's good if Henry spends time with both his parents. She should go there.

She finishes her drink and tosses the empty bottle in the trash, preparing herself to make her way towards them when she feels a grip on her arm, keeping her from moving, Cora's brows rising when Regina looks back to see who was stopping her. She had been able to spend some good twenty minutes without facing her mother, and she could use another full hour if she was lucky enough to earn it. With all the distractions, Henry had been able to enjoy his party without having to entertain his grandmother, and at least for that, Regina is grateful.

"You're acting like a teenager," she hears Cora muttering to the space between them, pulling the brunette until she has her back to her son and Robin, "You don't have to lie to me, Regina, you're my daughter and I know you like the back of my hand."

Regina frowns, scoffing, "Excuse me?"

"Mr. Locksley. I know that look and it could be expected when you were twenty-one and were in love with that stable boy, but now you're a woman, Regina, so stop embarrassing yourself."

"I'm not… I was looking at Henry, mother."

"Don't fool me," Cora replies, "And I don't really want to believe you think that man can be a good role model for my grandsons. Not after you had complained about Leopold, who was an excellent option. We certainly wouldn't be celebrating Henry's birthday in this place."

"I told you, mother, Henry is happy," Regina points out, and Cora rolls her eyes, releasing her daughter's arm.

"He could be even more."

She's doing it on purpose, to upset her and make her spill the beans about whatever relationship she's making up in her mind. Regina wonders if she has been overreacting when it comes to the staring, or if her mother just needed a reason to come up with the talk about Leopold. She's just sure of one thing, she wasn't looking at Robin the same way she used to look at Daniel, she was just watching how her son is getting along with his family, "Henry is fine."

"He needs a father figure in his life, Regina, and if you let me help-"

"No, you don't get to help, mother, I don't need help to raise _my_ kids."

"Leopold is willing to give you a second chance, stop being so proud," Cora scolds, and Regina shakes her head in disbelief. He's willing to give her a second chance? As if it had been him to stop things from progressing on their first, and only, date.

Regina tries her best to regain her composure, and she silently curses herself for not thinking about joining her son and Robin before her mother could stop her, her anxiety already starting to take care of her. She sees Cora waiting for an answer, probably hoping that answer would be an affirmative one. Not in this world, not in another.

"I'm fine," Regina finally breaks the silence, "And he may be willing, but I'm not, so if you excuse me…" she starts to make her way towards them once again, only to be stopped by her mother one more time, because of course, she wouldn't give up that easily, she's Cora Mills, and it's not a surprise when their topic of conversation returns to the old and rich man. ' _You need someone who can make sure to give you, and those boys, everything you need', 'You need a man, Regina, not a boy'._ But she remembers her first date with said man, the way he had behaved around her, more comfortable than she wanted him to be, and she thinks that no, she doesn't need to go through that all over again, not her, not her boys. Henry has a father – he could've had one since the beginning, but what matters now is that he _has_ a father – and at least with Robin, Regina is willing to try to build a friendship, with the certainty that he will always be respectful when it comes to her and her sons, something she's not very sure Leopold would be able to do, even if he hasn't even met the boys.

"Think about your sons, Regina," Cora finishes with a scowl on her face.

This can't be real. But then she realizes her mother never jokes around, so she might want to end this conversation before she says something she'd regret, "I always think about them."

Cora shakes her head, a sigh leaving her lips at her daughter's answer, "Doesn't seem to me."

"Well, I'm sorry if you feel that way, mother."

"You ruined Henry's life," Cora replies, and Regina feels those words deep in her chest. She knows she pushed him away from his real father, and that before Robin showed up, she never intended to tell him who his biological father was, but she always made sure to give him the best life she could, she'd dropped college to find a job that would support them both, had made sure that he'd never lacked anything.

She wants to tell her mother just that. And she knows her mother knows it, she'd witnessed everything.

Regina looks between Cora and Henry, who continues to play with Robin, unaware of her talk with his grandmother. A smile comes to her lips when she thinks how he would stand up for her against that accusation, but immediately falls from her face when she turns to Cora and replies, "I don't want to discuss that at his birthday party."

"Of course not, you know I'm right," she feels the tears prickling the back of her eyes, even if she promised her mother wouldn't be able to make her cry at such special day for Henry, and she makes a move to turn her back to where her son is playing, just to make sure he doesn't notice her at this moment. But her mother notices, and she reaches to cup Regina's face, making her look at her, and oh god, please don't let Henry see her right now, "Pull yourself together, Regina, I was just trying to make you see the reality."

She thinks she hears a bit of compassion in her mother's voice, but she's not sure, after all, it was her mother who caused this. She wished she could really rely on her own mother and tell her about Robin, that she would help her and advise her without trying to set her up with a man who clearly won't make Regina happy. He's not the solution, and now she's just upset. Upset that she can't even count on her own mother.

What would she do if Regina told her about Robin? Knowing her mother as she does, she would think Cora would just make Robin's life a living hell just as she does to her own daughter. Or maybe it would be even worse, Robin is nothing to her so she didn't have to be compassionate. Maybe she should keep her mouth shut. If she can't count on her, she doesn't have to know everything about her life either.

###

He helps his son to climb down when he finishes the activity, pulling him into his arms and placing him back on the ground. Henry's right there beside him, congratulating him and encouraging him as he tells his younger brother he was really good. So he glances at Regina, with a wide smile on his face that immediately falls when he sees she's been crying. He only can see her profile, but he knows her all too well to believe everything is okay, especially when she's talking to her mother. He thinks he never saw her smile when she thinks about that woman, and this time doesn't seem to be different.

He watches as she removes her mother's hands from her face – he has no idea what happened, but from the way she walks away from the woman, he can guess it wasn't anything good.

So he turns to his sons, telling them he will be right back, and rushes after her towards what he can guess is the ladies room. He just hopes he doesn't run into someone, it's already awkward enough if somebody sees him walking in there. He goes anyway.

As he closes the door behind him, he sees her standing in front of the sinks, her eyes closed, tears running down her cheeks.

He clears his throat in a failed attempt to keep himself from scaring her, but she startles anyway, widening her eyes and letting him know he was right, her conversation with her mother had been far from pleasant.

"Robin, god, you scared me!" her words make him fight the urge to reach for her, the last thing he wanted was to cause her more stress. She sounds as surprised as she's confused, considering where they are, and he doesn't want to draw attention, god knows what people would think if anyone saw them locked in the bathroom. So he takes a step in her direction, to assure her he didn't mean to startle her and that he just wanted to make sure she was okay, "You shouldn't be here."

"Well, I am," he replies. He doesn't care about the multiple reasons why he shouldn't be there, most of them far away from the fact that this is the ladies room, but he came to make sure she is alright, and he'll not leave without doing just that, "What happened?"

"Nothing that concerns you."

She starts to wipe the tears from her cheeks, making a move to walk away from him and, well, the only thing he can do right now is to try one more time, "At least, let me try to help."

She stops in her tracks, her eyes rising to meet his, and he knows he got her when she sighs and crosses her arms in front of her as she starts, "My mother is right."

Robin shakes his head in an automatic gesture, his hand touching her chin to make her look back at him. Whatever her mother told her, she's not right if it makes her feel like this. Miserable, defeated. He wants to believe she doesn't let her mother get away with her rude comments, and if she's here, crying, it's because that woman pushed her too far.

She's not a mother, Regina has the right to feel like this, but that doesn't mean it hurts less. It's definitely the opposite, considering her mother should be the first person to protect her from everything, not causing her pain.

But if she doesn't do that, he can try to be the friend he promised her he would be, so he wipes the new tear that falls from her eye, his hands moving to stop on her biceps and move up and down on a light caress – she relaxes a little, takes a deep breath and at least, he now knows he's still able to comfort her.

He keeps the slow motion in her arm, and doesn't reply to her right away, just applies a little more pressure when he reaches her shoulders. He watches her close her eyes at the movement, another tear falling from them, but he catches it almost as soon as it escapes.

"Do you want to talk?" he asks, but she shakes her head, "I can't let you get out of here like that."

"I just need a moment," she argues, moving away from his touch with the same composure she left her mother out there. But he knows it's just for the sake of appearances, and he doesn't really want to leave her alone, so he takes a step back to give her space, but doesn't walk out completely.

"You need to let someone help you."

Regina's brows arch, "And that someone is you?"

"Well, I'm the only one here with you at this moment," he looks around the bathroom, "Or at least, let's hope there's no one inside these stalls eavesdropping," he thinks he spots the corners of her lips tilting up a bit, but that sight vanishes as quickly as it appears, "Please, Regina, I'm trying."

"I don't want to talk here," she concedes, making him smile and walk out of the bathroom.

It's much more pleasant outside.

Robin steps outside a few minutes before Regina, letting her pull herself together and waiting for her a few feet away from the bathroom (they wouldn't want to be seen walking out of there together). He sees her as she stops in front of the small building, her head moving one side to the other searching for him – he had made sure to wait for her where he wouldn't draw any attention and, apparently, not even she could spot him. He's glad she doesn't protest when he grabs her hand and leads her towards the quieter place he could find with all the kids running around.

He leads her towards the administration building, towards behind it actually. There's no one around, the activities where the kids are playing are far from there, so he believes they will be safe.

He stops in front of her, watches as she wipes her tears and takes a deep breath before she parrots her words, "She's right."

"Regina…" there's no way her mother can be right.

"I ruined Henry's life."

"What…" he takes a step in her direction, moves his hand to reach for her, but stops himself halfway through. She'd hold back in the bathroom, had refused to talk to him, and now that she had chosen to do it, he doesn't want to scare her away one more time, "You didn't do such thing. Where did this come from?"

"I didn't let him meet you," Regina points out, and this time is Robin who takes a step away from her. He doesn't know if he can handle this talk all over again. He tucks his hand into his pockets, her eyes following his movements. He didn't bring her here to listen to this. Did she talk about this with her mother? Does she know? "And then I probably made another mistake when I ruined a date with a man who would make sure Henry would have everything he needed."

"You did that yourself, Regina."

"You don't know how hard it was!"

"I don't," he agrees, because he never got the chance to even try, "But I know you were able to raise a great kid, with or without any help."

She shakes her head at that, not because she doesn't think Henry is a good kid, but because she doesn't believe she would get where she is now without Daniel, "I'm not a perfect mother."

"Someone is?" he asks her back, because he never met anybody who is it. Nobody is perfect. Some people make fewer mistakes than the others, but nobody is flawless, especially when it comes to its children.

"I could've been a better one. I could've told you everything and Henry would've met you since the beginning. But I was too much afraid, scared that I would lose him in the process, lose you both, I had to make a choice."

He can't stop the scoff that leaves his mouth. So she didn't want to lose him, but she made a choice that pushed them even more away from each other than they were at that time. How can that be better?

He notices the tears in her eyes as he looks back at her, her shade of brown becoming lighter between the red stains, due to the sunlight.

"I loved you," he reminds her, his voice soft and quiet, making her curse herself for not knowing that since the beginning. He should've told her that. He's the one to blame for it, but nothing is good enough to explain what she did. If she had told him… If she had let him know she was pregnant with _his_ child… "I cared about you and I'd never do anything that could hurt you. I was your best friend before we got caught up in more," and that she knows. Above all, they were friends, so she should've trusted him. He believes she would've trusted him if the baby was from someone else. So, of course, she doesn't meet his gaze. Instead, she walks towards a free bench placed a few feet away from them, Robin following her without a second thought, "I just wished you have trusted me as you're doing now, you've no idea how happy I am to be here. And Roland."

He thinks about reaching in his pocket for his cell phone and show her the pictures he took from them, but that would only make her feel even worse - maybe he can show her another time. He doesn't believe she would enjoy it right now. Of course, she would like to see how happy her son is, but it wouldn't make the situation any better. So he pushes that idea out of his mind, occupies the seat beside her on the bench and focuses his attention on her, instead.

"He's happy to have you both here too," she tells him, nothing that he didn't know already, "He likes you a lot."

"I like him too," he replies. She already knows that, they are just running away from their main issue. What did her mother tell her to make her so upset, but he doesn't really know how to get back to that, "So all of this means… that you talked about everything with your mother?"

"No, if I had told her, she probably had stopped to try to set me up with that man. She thinks Henry and Dylan need a father."

He frowns, stretches his arm along the back of the bench so he could turn in his seat and face her completely. He thinks she moves closer to him a bit, her knee is bumping with his right now, but it can be because he's now sitting sideways to look at her, "You can tell her I'm his father if you think that will make her back off."

"I think she'd just include you on the list of people she wants to mess with," she puts a little smile on her face, something meant to light the mood, "Believe me, you don't want to be on that list."

She turns her head to meet his gaze, and he can see the hurt in her eyes, the weight of thirty years dealing with Cora Mills.

"I can handle your mother-"

"I know, I just don't know if _I_ can handle the new things she'd throw at me with this new discovery."

He keeps silent for a few moments, her words echoing in his mind, her eyes burrowing into his, her back brushing against his arm, "Am I… Is she bothering you because of me?"

"You don't have to worry about that," she assures, turning her head and looking around them, as if she was looking for her mother. Thank god they are out of sight. Robin places his hand against her back in an attempt to soothe her, enough for her to continue, "It's not because is you, it's because she noticed you are not just another father of one of Henry's friends that came to the party."

"Who am I, then?"

"What?"

"Who am I?"

"You're Henry's father and… I hope soon-to-be friend," he hears the expectation in her voice, not a bit covered by the sound of the kids laughing, or by the sound of the cars now that they are closer to the parking lot.

He promised he would try and that's what he's doing, moves his hand that was placed in her back, towards her arm and pulls her closer to him. He feels her shoulder bump against his chest, her head fitting on the crook of his neck, "I'm sorry if she's using me to upset you."

"You don't have to be sorry. It's not your fault," she assures, closing her eyes as she adds, "And thank you for listening to me, I'm feeling better," he nods his head at that, but she can't see him, not when she has her head placed on his shoulder, or when she has her eyes closed.

Are they crossing the line? Should he stop this?

 _How can he push her away when she's feeling like this?_ he thinks, the idea of refuse such comfort, making him tighten the grip around her. He can't understand how he can care so much for her when she hurt him like she did. She'd been his best friend, but she seemed to forget about that, the thing is that he's unable to push away people who had already been an important part of his life.

"Regina…" he mutters under his breath, and he feels her moving, raising her head from his shoulder and staring at him with wide eyes.

"I'm sorry, I shouldn't…" she shakes her head, muttering another apology. Even if it had been him to draw her attention in an attempt to make her realize what they were doing, he already misses the warmth he felt with her body pressed against his, "I… I don't want Henry to think…"

"I know," he agrees, and she sighs as he continues, "You don't want to give him the wrong idea."

She nods, her brows meeting as she frowns, "And I think it doesn't help our situation either."

The situation where they are trying to be friends, Robin thinks as he removes his arm from around her and sits back against the bench. He's not facing her anymore, and although he doesn't mind to look at those brown eyes, he knows it is for the best. So he keeps staring ahead of them, and tries to ignore the fact that Regina keeps stealing glances at him, or the memory of how her body felt against his after all these years. Nothing changed, she still fits perfectly in his embrace.

He thinks on a way to clear the air, on something they can talk about that will be safer, easier. So he remembers Henry's request. He'd asked his mother if they could have dinner together, and he can imagine the last thing Regina wants right now is to host a dinner in her house. He can think of another idea, and he's sure their son would like it too, maybe he can offer Regina a quiet night, "Do you think I can have Henry for dinner? Me, him, and Roland."

Regina frowns, but doesn't answer. If she says yes, it will be the first time he will be with Henry alone, without Regina – not that he doesn't like to have her around, but he wants to be his father too, and being a father means he can take care of Henry without her supervision. And this way she could just go home and relax, forget about her mother's behavior.

She keeps silent, but this time, she turns to face him. She has her bottom lip trapped in her teeth, her frown remains as she thinks. He's not sure if she will let him, by the look on her face, she's struggling with that possibility, but doesn't hurt to ask.

"Henry wanted us to have dinner together," she remembers, tilting her head, "I thought you wouldn't mind."

Robin shakes his head in response, his lips tilting up a little as he assures, "I don't, but I thought you would like an evening for yourself and I promise you he'll be home by bedtime."

"You want time alone with him," Regina points out, Robin's expression shifting for a guilty one as he hears her words.

"I thought we could try it, Henry seems to be comfortable around me. I didn't ask him yet because I wanted to talk to you first, make sure you are okay with it. And I thought that after the day with your mother, you'd appreciate some time alone to relax. At least, let me take you both to dinner if you decide you want us to be together, I understand that it's his birthday."

She shakes her head, says, "You can take him, I could use some time to rest, today has been… an eventful day," she shifts her gaze towards the kids playing, even if she can't really see much from where they are talking. He'll have both Roland and Henry to have dinner with him. He couldn't ask for better, even if he'll have to return his sons to their mothers. When Sunday morning comes, he'll have to drop Roland at Marian's, and he'll be back to his empty house. But he'll make the most of it while he can. He knows that when it comes to Henry, everything will get better, he's just starting to know the boy. For a few seconds, he thinks about the past, how would've been his life with a kid at his twenties. He wished he could have the answer for that, would be easier to understand Regina.

"Do you think we could've been happy?" his words make her focuses her attention back on him, a frown on her face.

"Why are you asking me that?"

He shrugs, shaking his head, thinking that maybe he shouldn't have asked in the first place. She already told him the reasons for what she did, there's no point to rub salt into the wound, "Forget it, I was just-"

"Do _you_ think we could've been happy?" she surprises him with her words.

"I believe that yes, we would be able to do that if we had fought for it," _that's why he doesn't understand_ , he thinks, placing his elbows on his knees and covering his face with his palms. As he takes a deep breath, Robin turns to face her, stretching his arm along the back of the bench one more time. This time, she turns to face him too, his hand dropping to her knee as he continues, "I loved you enough for that. For dropping college and find a job to support you and Henry, for taking care of you while you were pregnant. I had loved to do that for you, but you pushed me away, and now I just don't know how to fix this. I want to be mad at you, but for some reason, I can't. And I'm afraid to scare you away again, I'm afraid to lose Henry."

She listens to him carefully, and she looks really sorry for what she did, her eyes filled with tears all over again, her lips pressed together as an evidence of her effort to keep said tears at bay. How can he be mad at her? How can he punish her for what she did when she already feels really miserable?

He wasn't expecting the kiss, wasn't expecting her to cup his cheeks and press her lips to his. It's not desperate, or rushed, no, it's soft and gentle, their lips moving together as his hand slides to her waist while the other tangles in her hair. He pulls her closer to him, his tongue teasing her upper lip, asking for entrance, to which she grants him gladly. She tastes like the beer she has been drinking, and maybe if she didn't, they wouldn't be in this situation.

It's wrong, and unfair to Henry, having him thinking that maybe his parents can get back together. It's completely impossible to think to give Regina a second chance after everything she had done. So why isn't he stopping? Why does he let her grip his shirt to pull him even closer, his hand on her waist, helping them until he has her chest pressed perfectly against his.

She wraps her arms around his neck, at the same time she plays with the small hair on his scalp, making more difficult to fight the moan on the back of his throat. Because this can't happen. He has to stop it. But he just tightens the grip on her waist – he had missed her, missed having her like this, carefree in his arms, and he just had one opportunity to kiss her like he's doing now: when they had slept together in college and everything had fallen apart the morning after. What if that happens again? What if she realizes what they are doing and pushes him away again?

He can't bear it, not now that he has Henry in his life.

He'd think she'd have stopped this kiss by now, doesn't want to be him to stop her since he knows this is a consequence of a moment of weakness, but apparently neither of them has the strength to do it. He's just letting her kiss him incessantly, right here, in the middle of their son's birthday party, and maybe it has to be him to put a stop to this. Or maybe he'll let her keep doing it and curse himself later.

He brought her here to help her, and it's exactly what he's doing. He's giving her a moment where she doesn't have to think about her mother, or even about the secret she has hidden from him for ten years. Because, right now, she's just Regina and he's just Robin, and it's like they never left college without a word from each other. Nothing had pushed them away, nothing had made him broke his trust in her.

And now she's crying, he can feel her tears against his skin, the salty taste mixed with the bitterness of her beer on her tongue. And shit, he doesn't want her to cry, he hates to see her crying, always did.

"Regina," he pulls apart with a last peck, pressing his lips to her cheek to wipe the wetness on her face. He kisses away her sadness, and thinks that maybe this doesn't help to make her stop crying since what remains of tears in her eyes start to slide down her cheeks. She's a mess. Upset, and sad, and sorry for what she did to him – and maybe three beers don't help her state. She's not drunk, not even tipsy, but the alcohol has the tendency to make her emotions stronger.

His words seem to bring her back to reality, cause her to put more distance between them until she can look into his eyes, her thumb tracing his bottom lip gently, "I'm sorry, I didn't… I shouldn't have…"

"It's okay, I understand-"

"No, you don't!" she argues, burying her hands in her lap, her gaze following the movement, "I like you, Robin, I like that you're back in Henry's life, but I understand I can't drag you into mine. I don't think that would be fair to Henry either."

He nods his head at that, for some reason, feels his heart break a little more at her words. But she's right, and he doesn't want to jump into something he doesn't know he's ready for. Henry would be the one to get out of it hurt if they find out they can't make it work, "I don't know if I would handle a relationship, you're right, but I won't lie and say that I didn't miss you…"

She reads between the lines, and she very much would like to kiss him again just to, at least, put an end to the longing to feel his lips against hers one more time. And he'd like it too, it appears, so she closes what remains of distance between them and captures his lips once again, now knowing that this will never be anything more. He kisses her back, sucks her bottom lip between his, before he opens his mouth to welcome her, moving his tongue with hers.

And then, before he could even process, she pulls apart, intertwining her fingers with his and giving them a moment to recover from their last activity.

"We should go back," she points out, her voice hoarse. He nods in agreement, brings her hand to his lips to kiss her knuckles – he shouldn't, shouldn't kiss her in any way, so he drops one single kiss and removes his hand from her grasp, "I'm afraid if I don't return soon, my mother will come and find me here with you."

Robin frowns, annoyed that she has to rule her life under Cora's shadow. He's not afraid of her, he'd gladly tell her off if that meant she would leave Regina and her sons alone.

But he can't really do that, and the last thing he wants is to cause her any problems.

"I should return to Roland too," he replies, leaving his seat and stretching his arm to help her do the same, "And thank you for letting me take Henry today, I promise you he'll be back for bedtime," he assures, his gaze shifting to their hands, intertwined again, and why can't he just keep some distance from her? He thinks that maybe she just needs this today, _just today_ , he makes a mental note, so he gives her a little smile, gesturing towards their joined hands as he teases, "I don't think we can return-"

"I'm sorry," she releases him immediately, and at least, she seems better now, relaxed. He told her he doesn't want to jump into a relationship, and he knows that he's not ready for that just yet, but dammit, it makes something bloom in his chest that makes him feel proud for being the one who can get her relaxed with just a few kisses.

She sighs and turns her back to him, starts to make her way towards the party as Robin follows right behind.

###

Why can't she just stop making mistakes?

Or at least, why can't she just stop making bad decisions when it comes to Robin?

She'd chosen to kiss him. At their son's birthday party, where her mother could easily see them and then make his life a living hell for it. And then Henry. He could just see them as easily and then have his heart broken because she would have to tell them that they are not in a relationship.

 _So why were you kissing?_ She almost can hear their son's voice.

They were kissing because she can't control her feelings, because she was too much damaged by her mother to refuse a kiss from who once had been her true love. And now she just wants to kiss him again, something that she already knows, won't happen. He'd made it pretty clear. He doesn't want a relationship, especially with her, she'd hurt him too much. Probably it is for the best. She can't let him down again.

He'll find someone who can make him happy. They already had their opportunity.

"I'm sorry, he wanted to see the cake," Emma's voice interrupts her thoughts, as Regina stops in front of the table with the snacks, crossing her arms in front of her chest and looking around her to search for Robin. He's nowhere to be seen, but she's sure he'd left the place where they had been… _talking_ , right after her. She shouldn't have kissed him, she already knows that, what if she'd make everything uncomfortable between them?

"What?" she focuses her attention on her friend, scooping Dylan into her arms and placing a kiss on the boy's cheek.

"The cake, I thought you wanted to wait to show Henry?" Emma asks, and oh, that. Yes, she wanted to surprise him and wait until the time to sing 'Happy Birthday' to show him the cake, but that it's the last of her problems right now.

"It's okay, I always knew he wouldn't make it," Regina's lips tilt up at the thought of her son, a small smile that only Henry would be able to make it appear on her face at this moment. Maybe he's with Robin, she can't find her boy either. No, he's a few meters away from them, talking to a friend.

Robin wouldn't leave without saying anything, would he?

"Is everything okay?" Emma asks – no, it's not, because she'd been kissing her son's father and now he's probably trying to avoid her for the rest of the birthday party – looking at Regina's mother and watching as she frowns at every kid who dares to play a little closer from where she's sitting, "It wasn't Cora, was it?"

She shakes her head, assures that her mother had remained away from her in this last hour, strangely so. She knows she can't hide it from her best friend, but she's not thrilled to talk about this here. Not with so many people around them, "I'm fine, did you… did you see Robin? I think Henry will want to open his presents."

"I'm here, love, Roland and I had something to take care of with the potty," Robin answers from behind her. Roland giggles in his arms, urging his father to put him back on the floor as Regina asks him to get Henry for her.

"Tell him he can open his presents."

"I can't wait to see his reaction," Robin confesses, a wide smile on his face. He will love it, Regina is just afraid that he'll let their secret slip with the excitement.

"Mom!" Henry runs towards them, stopping beside his father, "Can I open the presents?"

"Yes, you can," Regina laughs at his enthusiasm, her free arm wrapping around her son's shoulders, leading him towards the pile of gifts. She wants to see her son's reaction too, but Cora steps in first, pushing a package into her grandson's hands.

"You can open mine first, dear."

"Thank you, grandma," Henry replies with a smile – Regina has always taught him to be polite, that every gift is a good one because it's the thought that counts, but she really wished her mother would put more effort to it, because she already can see what it's inside that package, and Henry already has tons of it in his bedroom.

He opens it with the same smile on his face, unwrapping it and finding another football to go with the others, "Cool, grandma, we can play with this here."

Regina smiles proudly at her son, gesturing to Robin to give his present next, "You can open Robin's and Roland's next," she watches as her son accepts the package, "Then, I'll give you mine."

He rips the wrapping paper, frowning slightly when he's met with a wooden container, but his expression changes completely when he opens the lid of the box.

"Look, mom! Harry Potter's wand!" the boy says excitedly, as he grabs the stick, showing it to his mother while Robin watches him with a smile on his face. It had been hard to find that present, had actually been an accident, and he notices Cora frowning at his offer, and he couldn't care less about what she thinks, because his son loved it, and if his son is happy, then that's what matters.

"What's that?" she asks, gesturing towards the object and looking at her daughter.

"It's from the movies and book series Henry likes so much," Regina answers, without taking her eyes off her boy, and she almost can say she heard her mother scoff, the sight of Henry hugging his father making her mother's behavior look meaningless at that moment.

"I have another surprise for you," Robin whispers in Henry's ear, his arms wrapped around his son's torso as he hugs him tightly. He won't tell him he'll have dinner with him and Roland, not in front of everybody, but the smile he gets back from his son is enough to almost make him want to confess everything.

* * *

 **Hi, guys! I really hope you liked this chapter, it had ended up a little long, but I hope I had been able to meet your expectations of Robin and Regina's kiss. They have a few more things to work on, but it's a start. Tell me what you thought, please! :)**


	15. Chapter 15

Chapter 15.

He should've guessed.

Should've known that a meal consisting of burgers and soda wouldn't be a good idea. Regina would have told him so if she knew what kind of dinner Robin was planning to give the kids – he almost can hear her voice in his head, telling him that he can't really complain if he has to spend the night treating a tummy ache, since a four-year-old's stomach isn't ready for such meal.

The boys are trying to walk off dinner as they stroll down the main street, ice cream in hand as they approach Robin's car.

"Papa, my tummy hurts, you can have my ice cream," Roland whines while Robin puts him in his seat, stretching his hand towards his father and handing him the container with the chocolate treat.

The ice cream is probably the healthiest food they ate the whole day, since on Henry's birthday party they ate all kinds of junk food – lots of sugar, and savoury, not to mention that Robin hasn't been present to control the amount of popcorns the two boys had managed to eat during the time he'd been talking to Regina. It surprises him that they have eaten the dinner at all, both of them, he's not sure how Henry behaves when it comes to the food, but Roland doesn't usually have such an appetite. He doesn't want to return his older son to his mother, complaining he has a bellyache after his first dinner with his father. The first times will be crucial to allowing Regina to trust him, but it's clear he won't get off on the right foot. Henry will tell her about the dinner, and he's already expecting a little scolding.

"Can I have it?" Henry shrugs, "I just finished mine and my mother always said we shouldn't waste any food."

The little brat.

Robin brings a spoonful to his mouth and shakes his head, pleased that he haven't bought himself an ice cream, since he already knew he would have to finish his son's dessert, "No, you can't. Your mother would kill me first and then forbid you of any ice cream for the rest of your life."

Henry shrugs, his arm stretching to hand his father his empty container. Robin tosses it into the dumpster, before sliding into the driver's seat, "Ready to go home?"

"Can't Henry sleep at our house?"

That question was expected, Robin thinks, because they had such a good time and of course, Roland doesn't want it to end.

"I thought you weren't feeling well, little man," Robin points out, looking at his son from the rearview mirror before starting the car.

Henry moves, his hands reaching for the back of the driver's seat as he sits at the edge of his bench, causing Robin to turn completely and urge his son to lean back and fasten his seatbelt. No more soda before bedtime, he makes a mental note, Regina will flip when she realizes her son won't fall asleep as soon as she wants, "Why can't I stay with you?"

That's something to ask his mother, Robin thinks, but he also understands that this may be hard for her, and the last thing he wants it to make her uncomfortable.

Maybe he can talk to her.

Robin bites his bottom lip as he considers it, focusing on the road and noticing Henry is waiting for an answer. The boys remain in silence, not a word come out of their mouths until is Robin who talks first, "I will talk to your mother about it, but… maybe it won't be possible right now, this is the first time you have dinner with me, without her being present, she may need time to get used to the idea, alright?" he explains with a quick glance to the rearview mirror, just in time to see his older son nodding his head.

Well, that's something.

"Will you talk to her today?" Henry asks, and Robin can't help but let out a little laugh, because he was already expecting that question, "Maybe she'll let me stay with you the next weekend."

"We'll see," Robin replies, thinking about something else to draw their attention to. He quickly glances at his younger son, suggesting, "Roland, why don't you teach Henry how to play 'I spy'?"

The little boy's lips tilt up in a smile as he turns to Henry and asks him if he wants to play, before turning to the window as the older boy does the same, looking for something to start the game.

Robin watches them with a smile, bringing the car to a stop at the sight of a red light. His phone vibrates on the passenger seat beside him, Regina's name popping up on the screen as Robin reaches for it to read her text: ' _Where's my son? The bedtime is approaching.'_

She included a smile with a wink at the end, so she's not really mad, then, good.

He replies her with an ' _On our way, milady_ ', feeling nervous all of a sudden just to think about the talk their son wants him to have with his mother. They are pretty focused on their game, so Robin thinks that maybe he doesn't have to talk to her today. It has been a day full of emotions already.

He hears the phone vibrating one more time, a scolding as she asks ' _Should you be texting me as you drive?',_ to which he assures her that they are safely stopped at a red light _._

 _'_ _Bring me my son, then_ ,' he reads, right before of, ' _We'll talk when you arrive.'_

Robin places his phone back on the seat beside him just to see that the light in front of him has already turned green. Henry is telling him just that, probably thanking that they are the only ones doing that road.

By the time he's parking in front of Regina's front yard, Roland is already sleeping in his seat, Henry's head leaned against the window on his side. The game and the excitement of the birthday party had been enough to wear them out, so much that neither of them moves when Robin gets out of the car to walk into the brunette's house.

He moves to scoop Roland into his arms, urging Henry to get out of the car and guiding him towards the front door, "I'm sorry, little man, but you have to go home," his attention shifts to his younger boy, then, asking, "Roland, do you want to see Gina?"

He shakes his head and places it back on his father's shoulder, burrowing his face in the crook of Robin's neck and falling asleep immediately.

Robin smiles, waiting as Henry rings the doorbell and Regina to answer the door. He's tired too, he notices, wrapping his free arm around Henry's shoulders when the boy leans against him. As she opens the door, she's already wrapped in a dressing gown, the fabric reaching just above her knees, exposing her bare legs, as she walks and leads them towards the living room.

"You didn't have to get Roland out of the car, Henry can cross the front yard by himself," she says, her voice gentle and sweet that makes him sit on the couch beside her without even realize what he's doing. He has to go home.

He shakes his head, assures, "You let me take him to dinner, I wouldn't drop him at your door just like that," his gaze slides to her legs, tucked between her body and the cushions. How can he control himself? He's a man. And she's a gorgeous woman. And they are trying to be friends. He can't forget about that, _friends._ But he still feels her lips moving with his, her body pressed against his, "Did you manage to relax?" he asks her, "You look… refreshed."

She smiles shyly, lowering her head in an attempt to mask her blush, "I did. Nothing that a bubble bath and dinner on the couch can't cure," she looks back at him and bites her lip, and he shifts his attention to the boy sleeping on his lap, "What about you? Did you have fun?"

"A lot," Robin answers, removing the curls from Roland's eyes before facing her one more time. He hadn't noticed her hair was tied at the top of her head, leaving her neck completely bare and exposed to his wandering eyes, "Probably more than we should," Regina frowns, "I may have let them choose the dinner and end up having burgers and fries…" Robin winces, and Regina shakes her head, "Roland complained of a bellyache, but I think he just didn't want the ice cream," her lips tilt up at that, her eyes shifting to the little boy, "But it was a great evening and… Henry asked me why he couldn't sleep at my house."

Well, he said it.

"Because…" she holds back.

But Robin shakes his head, assures, "I know why, love, I told him so. Although I would love to have him there, spending nights at my house, I know you need time, but Henry was quite adamant that I would talk to you about this."

Regina's brows arch at that, her gaze shifting to the foyer as she searches for her son, just to realize he had already escaped to his bedroom. She feels a twinge of sadness for a moment, realizing that Henry is getting used to Robin – she always knew this would happen, it's been a few weeks already – but she wasn't really ready for it. Why didn't he talk to her? Why did he ask Robin?

She frowns, "He asked you to talk to me?"

"In fact, I told him I'd talk to you," Robin explains, noticing her disappointment to think it had been her son to ask his father instead of talking to her directly, "He asked me to talk to you today. He was expecting you to let him spend the next weekend with me."

Another twinge of apprehension hits Regina, causing her to let out a sigh and shift uncomfortably in her seat. He's just telling her what their son had said, he's not asking for permission, he just doesn't see the point of hiding things from her.

She understands that, right? He's not trying to hurt her, not trying to make her believe Henry doesn't want to spend time with her. Because, he's a good kid and what he wants is to spend time with his parents. Nothing has to change radically, for now. He's going to keep living with Regina, she still has the rights to him. Robin just wants time, a few moments with his son.

"I'm sorry, I just wish he'd talked to me first."

He adjusts his grip on Roland, explains, "He didn't mean it. It just happened, I'm pretty sure he'll mention it to you."

"And I'll explain to him why I don't feel ready for that just yet," she replies, as Robin's eyes drop to the space between them, even if he already knew she wasn't, "I'm sorry."

"You don't have to," Robin assures, raising from his seat to place Roland where he was previous sitting, causing Regina to do the same. She reaches for one of the blankets near the couch, covering Roland's little body with the cloth, "Oh, it's okay, thank you, we're leaving, I just needed to let my arms rest for a bit."

"We need to talk about something else," she explains, to which Robin asks what she wants to talk about, "Our kiss."

"Regina, it's okay, you don't have to-" he's interrupted when her hand reaches for his, leading him towards the kitchen and stopping when they reach the counter, "You don't have to explain."

She's digging into the cabinets to find two glasses to put in front of him, a bottle of wine already resting above the counter. With the whole junk food meal he has on his stomach right now, he doesn't think he needs a glass of wine to help to the mixture. He's tired, and a little impatient, and he doesn't think he can handle this conversation right now, but she seems pretty decided to have it, pouring the beverage into the two glasses before taking a sip of her own, "I want everything to be clear between us," she takes the seat beside him, noticing he doesn't try to interrupt her anymore, keeps listening and sipping his drink while she tries to come up with the best words to talk about this, "I let myself got caught up in the moment because… you were there, listening to me and I needed comfort."

She keeps her gaze focused on the glass between her hands, while Robin tries to soothe her one more time, even if he knows that it won't really work with her.

"It's alright, I understand, and I shouldn't have lead you to kiss me a second time, either," he takes a deep breath, and another, shakes his head as he explains, "I know a kiss, especially a kiss between us, doesn't make things better, but I couldn't let you there, thinking about the nonsenses your mother had tried to put in your head. You're a good mother, Regina, and Henry loves you, and I don't think you could've done better with him. He's great."

Robin's hand reaches for her, his palm gently covering hers before he wraps his fingers around her hand. He should try and keep some distance, it's the right thing to do, but he can't do it. He tightens the grip around her fingers, keeps his eyes on hers, but she pulls back, ending the moment.

"I hid something so important from you," Regina mutters, "Why do you even care about me?"

"Because you were…" he starts, never taking his eyes off her, "You are special. You were the most important person in my life at some point."

She shouldn't have asked. Not when she knew the answer would just hurt her even more. And those blue eyes, looking so deeply at her, even when she did what she did, even if she had pushed him away from Henry. And now she can't stop thinking about his kiss. She would kiss him right away if their past wasn't a constant reminder of what she can't have again. But he's still here, after their afternoon, after the mistake on Henry's birthday party, and it's making everything worse. She doesn't want to hurt him a second time. Nor Henry.

So she leaves her seat at the counter, grabs her glass (since his is almost full), and moves to place it in the sink, "I liked what you did for me, I really did, but…" she turns to face him one more time, a tear falling down her cheek, but she wipes it before he could even notice, and continues, "But I can't have you comforting me every time my mother bothers me, or when I have a bad day at work, I… I need space and I don't think this is working for me."

He rises at her words, closes the distance between them, his hands stopping before he could touch her, "Regina, if this is about the kiss, I… I'm not mad, and I can give you more space, but you can't push me away a second time, I need to be in Henry's life-"

"And you will," he relaxes visibly, "Henry will keep seeing you, you can take him to dinner, lunch, anytime you want, but I… I'll be your lawyer," she sniffs, wiping her tears, her eyes focused on the floor. This is not the Regina he met (for a second time) a few weeks ago, this is not the woman who was willing to try everything to see her son happy, this is the Regina in the shadow of Cora Mills, "I won't be present. I trust you with Henry, you can spend time with him, I'm only asking you to drop him here before bedtime. And _he can cross the front yard by himself_ , I'll give him the keys," she parrots her own words from earlier, now meaning a completely different thing.

She doesn't want to see him.

He nods his head, moves away from her, and then he's heading towards the living room, turning to her a last time, "Regina, I…" he sighs, drawing her attention. He stares at her for a little while, before he forces himself to finish, "I really wanted to be friends," he resumes his path towards his younger son and picks him up into his arms, holding him against his torso before he walks towards the front door with Regina already expecting them there, "Tell Henry I didn't want to bother him, I'll call to talk to him tomorrow."

She gives him a small smile and a nod of her head, assures, "I can do that, and Robin…" she says, opening the door, "I'm sorry."

He feels that words deeper than he should, because she already apologized so many times, he should be used to it by now. But it still hurts, the tears he knows will come after she closes the door behind him. For both of them.

He needs to focus on Henry.

On Roland.

And the new life he'll build with his sons.

###

Is Dylan who wakes Regina on Sunday, with the kicking all night and the light, but nevertheless, punches on his mother's face. He'd been restless, so she had let him sleep in her bed – not the best idea when she glances at the clock and is faced with the red numbers revealing 7 AM.

She places a kiss on the baby's cheek, pulling him closer to her as he does his best to leave her embrace, eager to get out of his mother's bed and start the day.

So much for one more hour of sleep. At least she has the rest of the day to be lazy.

Henry is still asleep, she's sure of that, probably with the book he's currently reading falling off the covers. It's kind of adorable.

She gets out of the bed, then, helping her son to do the same as she leads them towards the kitchen, stopping in the bathroom first in another attempt of introducing Dylan to the potty.

"Alright, we have to be quiet so we don't wake your brother, okay?" she tells him, changing his diaper before they finally head downstairs to have some breakfast.

And there he is. Henry. Sitting at the kitchen table, eating his cereals.

She frowns at the sight, her brows meeting as she sees her older son already up and having breakfast.

Regina scoops Dylan into her arms to sit him on his chair, teasing, "What's got into you this morning? You are both very excited."

Henry's head lifts to meet her gaze, his spoon stopping midway to his mouth. He's studying her every movement as she reaches for another two bowls, pouring the milk into the dishes, together with the cereals.

"I couldn't sleep," he shrugs, his arms wrapping around his mother when she approaches him to give him a good morning kiss on the top of his head, "Did Robin talk to you?"

Oh, that.

"He talked to me about many things," she returns to her seat across from her son, places the bowl with the food in front of Dylan before she focuses on her own breakfast, "What do you want to know?"

"Can I sleep in his house?"

She keeps her eyes on her meal and tells herself that she would need to talk to her son sooner or later, even if this could've waited until she was in a better mood than the one on a Sunday morning at 7 AM. She's sleepy and tired, and now Henry is just remembering her of her talk with Robin, the way they had parted without knowing what they will do next. But that's not her son's fault, he's not the one to blame, her mixed feelings are the problem here. She doesn't know how to feel about Robin, or better, she doesn't like how she's feeling about her son's father, so she'd chose to keep distance from the blue-eyed man.

"I'm… not sure If I'm ready for that just yet, Henry, you just met him, I feel that it's a little too soon."

 _For her_ , that's what her son is probably thinking, but well, it's the truth, and she's the mother, she's in charge. Without another word, she shifts her attention back to the cereals, taking a bite of her breakfast, the food helping her see things clearer.

"He told me you'd say that, so I wouldn't get mad at you," he mutters with his mouth half-full, and that actually warms Regina's heart, to think Robin had tried to explain her point to their son, so she wasn't always the bad guy.

"I hope you don't," she replies sincerely, "I think we all need time to make this a new routine."

It's the right thing to do, trying to settle into a new routine where Robin would have a day to be with Henry, dropping him at her house before bedtime, and where they wouldn't have to change phone calls in order to arrange the visits.

"So you want me to spend time with him?"

Regina swallows hard. She never expected it would hurt so much, the time when her son would confront her for what she did.

"Of course, I want to," she answers immediately, her hands reaching for his to give them a little squeeze of assurance, "I may have made a mistake when you were just a baby, but I want you to get to know your father now, I want you to have him in your life," Regina assures, gives him a little smile as she glances towards Dylan, "I mean, if you want that too, I know Daniel was your father, and I want you to know that I will support you whatever your decision is."

Henry stares at her, takes a deep breath, and then he leaves his seat, gestures for Regina to let him sit on her lap as he says, "Daniel died, mom, and I loved him, but I think I'm ready to… give Robin a chance."

Regina's eyes water at his words. This is her biggest fear, that Henry will forget Daniel, she doesn't want him to forget the man who had a huge part in her son's life. She pulls the boy for a hug, trying to keep him from watching her cry, but he knows her better than that and pulls back to look at her, his forehead pressed against hers. She cups Henry's cheeks as she shifts her gaze to look at him, whispering his name, but her voice fades as she lets the tears slide down her face.

"Mommy?" Dylan calls, as Regina pulls back with a giggle.

"I'm fine, baby," she looks at his blue eyes, the same blue she could get lost every time she stared at his father, "Mommy's fine, I just… I need a hug from my boys."

She picks up her younger son, wrapping him in her embrace as well as Henry, and remaining like that for a little moment. She buries her nose in the boy's curls, relishing in the scent of his baby shampoo.

"I love you," she kisses the top of their heads, "I want the best for you."

"We know that, mom," Henry replies to her, and Regina gives him a last kiss on his cheek, before placing her younger's son back on the floor.

"Henry, I'm sorry, I didn't… I'm not mad at you, alright?"

"I know you are just sad, mom, maybe you should... try to be happy with someone again?"

Regina clears her throat, presses her lips together as images of her kiss with Robin pops into her mind, "I'm happy, baby, I just get a little sad when we talk about Daniel, but I'm happy. You don't have to worry about that, I should be the one to worry about my kids."

She gives him a little pat on his nose, Henry's lips tilt up in a smile as his arms wrap around her neck in a hug, "Dylan didn't finish breakfast," he teases with a smirk, "Can we go to the park today?"

She nods her head, answers, "Yes, we can, it's too good to be inside anyway."

"Cool, I'll get dressed."

"Help your brother?" Regina asks, hoping to have a bit of time for herself after their conversation about Daniel, about how her son is ready to move on but she doesn't.

And then she hears them walking up the stairs, and Regina thinks that he's really growing up, wondering how proud Daniel would be of both his boys.

###

Monday is easier. She has an 'emergency meeting' with Sidney this morning, but nothing she can't handle. She's still quite absent every time she thinks about her talk with Henry the day before, but she's confident that spending some time with her friend and work can change that – she'd tried to push those thoughts out of her mind as she played with her sons the day before, pushing them on the swings or chasing after them through the park, preparing a big lunch for the three of them when they returned home.

She stops for coffee on her way to her office, thanks Granny to be willing to have Henry around since he's on vacation, and leaves Dylan at the daycare before heading off to work. She feels better, had enough time to rest the previous evening, but she can't say these last few days didn't drive her to the point of exhaustion. Physically and mentally.

So this morning, she's a little late. Not enough to compromise the meeting schedule, but enough that when she arrives, the secretary stops her in her tracks, her silence telling her everything Regina needs to know.

She fights the urge to roll her eyes, after all, who is the boss there? Or at least, who has a higher office?

"Sidney is already waiting for you."

She _knows_ Sidney is waiting for her – when is he not? – and she knows very well her own schedule, she doesn't need to be bothered about it. She mutters a 'thank you' and goes straight to the meeting room, without even stopping by her office to leave her things.

"Sorry, I'm late," she opens the door to see Sidney sitting in one of the chairs, sipping his own coffee as she drops her coat and bag. He seems more relaxed than he should for a meeting, his feet placed on the chair in front of him when she walked in, but he'd straighten his posture immediately, a smile on his lips as he raised from his seat.

"Good morning," he greets, "You're not late, at least, no more than the surprise I have for you."

"Surprise?" she replies, her eyebrows raising as she takes the seat beside him. He takes another sip of his drink, not giving her the least hint about what he planned for this meeting. Well, if this is still a meeting. She frowns, eyes him suspiciously, and teases, "You didn't get me a puppy, did you? I know Henry is always talking about having one."

"Am I late?" she hears a familiar voice coming from the door, making Regina turn around and widen her eyes at the sight in front of her. Sidney just has time to answer her with a lopsided smirk, before she's leaving her seat and running towards the door.

"Jefferson?!" she throws her arms around him and pulls him for hug, tightening the grip around her friend as she asks, "What are you doing here?"

"I thought you would be happy to see me," he pulls back, looking her up and down, "Wow, you definitely look… less pregnant."

Regina laughs at his words, pulling him for another hug. He's really there, after almost three years without seeing each other, he's there, hugging her in that meeting room. Jefferson is one of Regina's best friends, had met her when she started to work for her company, the same he used to work for before his wife's death, a year before Daniel. After that, he had left the country to start a new life with his daughter Grace, so the last time he had seen Regina, she was pregnant with Dylan. She had been an essential help for them to overcome his wife's death, she, Daniel and Henry, who had become a close friend to Jefferson's daughter. But they needed a fresh start, so Regina immediately agreed with his idea, no matter how sad she'd been about being miles away from one of her best friends.

A few months later, Daniel called him to let him know Dylan was born, a year later, Regina told him Daniel had died. He had wanted to come back immediately, offer the support she had given him when he went through a similar situation, but she knew that option wouldn't be good for Grace, who had just started to get used to her new life. She had insisted for him to wait, knowing they needed some stability.

But now he's here, to pay them a visit for the first time since they had moved to another country. And now they can enjoy it. Now they don't have to comfort each other, at least about their past loves, so they can make up for the lost time, and she'll not let his visit be marked by sadness. She'll enjoy while one of her best friends is here.

"Did you bring Grace with you?"

"Of course," he answers, tucking a lock of her hair behind her ear as she moves her hands to grasp his, "But I was hoping I could borrow your sitter this weekend so I can take you to a night out on the town like old times?"

###

On Tuesday, she had insisted they had dinner in her house.

She had been quite excited for it, actually, curious to see Henry's reaction to their guests. She knows he remembers Grace and Jefferson, he was not so little at the time that he won't know who they are, but will he be happy to see them again? And she wants to present Dylan, it seems almost surreal that she has a two-year-old baby, who Jefferson had just seen in the pictures of her ultrasounds. She can remember the day she and Daniel decided to tell everybody, immediately knowing he'd be the first to know, right after Henry, of course.

But she can't allow herself to think about Daniel right now, these last few days, he had been one of the only things occupying her thoughts, together with her kiss with Robin that just helps to make her feel as if she's betraying her late fiancé. She doesn't know what's worst, though, crying over her fiancé's death, or crying over the fact she can't get over the kiss she shared with her son's father. She could use some time away from everything.

But, nevertheless, she is excited. The dinner will make her forget all this for a while and everything seems really perfect.

Until Henry walks down the stairs with his little brother by the hand, announcing he'll call Robin to ask what time he has to be ready for him to pick him up.

She almost forgot. Better, she _really_ forgot.

She can't believe she invited Jefferson on the day Henry is supposed to have dinner with Robin. If she had remembered, she wouldn't have invited them today. Now she remembers Henry telling her it had to be on Tuesday because Robin has Roland those nights, and that he would take them to the pizzeria where he'd met Henry the first time, knowing the little boy would love it – can't he feed his sons healthy food?

It sucks. Having to ruin their dinner because she'd insisted for Henry to set everything himself so she didn't need to talk to Robin, and because she's just terrible at co-parenting.

And there's her son, sitting at the counter talking to his father while she tries to decide if she will just ruin their dinner or if she should let him go with Robin.

She feels terrible.

But it's the first time Jefferson and his daughter are here since they had moved, and she doesn't really know when they will receive such visit again, so she makes her decision, and Robin might as well take him another day.

She approaches her son and asks him to put her on the phone, taking a deep breath when she hears Robin greeting her with a, "Hello, Regina."

"Hi," she replies, his voice causing goose bumps on her skin, "Look, I'm really sorry, Robin, I totally forgot, but we have a dinner today and it was good if Henry could be present."

He keeps silent for a moment, probably trying to absorb her words. But then he clears his throat, asks, "A dinner? Henry didn't mention-"

"He didn't know, it was supposed to be a surprise."

"You could've told me first," he tells her needlessly, "I would have invited him another day, or try to change my day with Roland."

"I know, I'm sorry, I forgot," she explains, hearing Robin's little scoff on the other side of the line. He's mad, and has every right to be, she just ruined the dinner he'd planned with his sons and Roland's chance to know a place he would most certainly love. She doesn't even have to go there, she knows they can go to that restaurant another day, but this will always be another occasion when she denied them an opportunity to be together, even if she doesn't want to do that anymore, "You can take him another day of the week."

"Of course," he mocks, causing Regina to frown at his behavior, "And will you let me make the arrangement with you, or will you put me on the phone with my son again?"

"What day would you like to take him?" Regina asks, under the watchful gaze of her eleven-year-old, his eyes following her every movement.

"Tomorrow?" he asks back, and she nods her head even if she knows he can't see her right now, "I don't have Roland, but I guess it's better than nothing."

"Tomorrow is alright."

They say their goodbyes and hang up the phone, and she doesn't notice Henry is still staring at her until he leaves his seat and makes his way towards Regina, asking why he can't have dinner with his father tonight.

She puts the tray with the roast beef into the oven, before focusing her attention on her son and noticing how he has his arms crossed over his chest in a clear indication of disapproval. She sighs, wraps her arm around Henry's shoulders, just in time for the doorbell to echo through the house, startling them both.

"You'll see why right now," she smiles – Henry doesn't seem very convinced, but he doesn't protest either, grabs Dylan's hand and follows their mother towards the front door. She opens the wooden surface, just to reveal their old friends.

"Grace?" Henry asks confused, his eyes widening.

"Hey, kid," Jefferson greets him as well, "Do you remember us?"

He nods with a giggle, wrapping his arms around the man's torso before giving a hug to his daughter too, "Of course, I do, I was just surprised."

"And this is Dylan," Regina scoops him in her arms, noticing how his blue eyes shift between Jefferson and his daughter. He seems a bit frightened since they are strangers, or maybe because the older man is looking at him with the most amazed look Regina had seen on his face, "He was the baby who was making me fat when you left."

Grace's and Henry's laughs make Regina feel better about canceling the dinner with Robin, her son had missed his friend, and it's not like he can't have dinner with Robin another night.

"Regina, he's so cute," Jefferson says, "He looks so much like Daniel."

Her eyes water at that, but she smiles anyway, places her son back on the floor before she turns to address both Henry and Grace, "Why don't you go play? Take your brother with you, please."

"We'll be playing video games," they make their way towards the living room, at the same time Regina leads Jefferson towards the kitchen.

"I'm sorry, Regina, I didn't want to-"

"It wasn't you, I just… I miss him terribly," she explains, trying to keep her voice from failing – that tends to happen when she gets so emotional, but she won't cry again, she's sick of crying these last few days. She had invited Jefferson so they could make it up for the lost time, she won't let the past get in the way of that again, "But can we talk about something else?"

"Yes, of course, how can I help with the dinner?"

"For now, everything is taken care of," Regina assures, and Jefferson's mouth waters at the sight of the dessert placed above the counter.

"Please, tell me that's your apple pie."

"That's my apple pie," Regina laughs, approaching the sweet treat and tilting her head as she inspects the dessert, "Although, I can't promise this one will live up to your expectations, I haven't had much time to focus on the cooking," Jefferson gives her a puzzled look, as Regina moves towards the cabinet and reaches for a glass, handing it to her friend, "Do you want to drink something?"

"Whatever you'll have. Are things in the company looking that bad?" Jefferson asks. She's pretty sure she looks as defeated as she feels, she'd pushed Robin away from her, but she'll have to continue to be his lawyer. It's been two days since their talk in her house and the first time she spoke to him through the phone was to argue about Henry, not to mention that this conversation is about to become about him too, it seems she can't even have a night with a friend without talking about Robin's situation.

"It depends, what would you think of representing the father of your son - from who you hid everything for ten years – against his ex-wife, so he can win his younger son's custody?"

"What?" he asks with a frown on his face, his lips tilting up slightly, probably wondering if she's being serious or just messing with him, "I'm not sure I'm following…"

"Henry's father…" Regina starts, pouring red wine into Jefferson's glass and handing it back to him - she's not really in the mood to drink alcohol tonight, "He's my client."

Jefferson's smile drops in a flash, as he walks towards his friend and leans against the counter beside her, his drink secured in his hand. He takes a sip from it and she moves away from him, facing the window above the sink as Jefferson asks, "Wait, is he really Henry's father, like… Henry's _biological_ father?"

"Yes, he is."

Jefferson's jaw drops at the surprise, as he recalls the whole story Regina had told him a few years ago, wondering how small the world is for her to be representing her ex-almost-boyfriend and father of her child in court. He looks at her to see her staring out the window, and fights the urge to walk towards her, because he knows the last thing Regina wants is to give the impression she needs to be comforted, she always wanted people to know she's a strong and independent woman, who can fight her own battles by herself, "That's crazy, how… how did that happen?"

She finally turns to face him, her arms crossed over her chest, and her shoulders rising and falling in a shrug.

She doesn't really want to talk about this, but she knows she'll feel better to share this with him, she always talks about these things with Emma, but since she knows Robin too, maybe it would be a good thing to hear an opinion from someone who doesn't know Robin the way she and her friend know him. Who doesn't know how Regina used to be in love with him, and who won't play cupid with her and trying to push her into the arms of her former soulmate. Or at least, she thinks he was.

She takes a step in his direction, and before she knows, she's telling him about the day she saw Robin's name written on that paper. About the first phone call she shared with him, about the first meeting and when she looked into those blue eyes for the first time after ten years. Jefferson keeps silence to don't interrupt her, and she tells him about the day he finally met Henry, the day of his birthday party.

She wasn't planning to tell him about the kiss, but she knows that if she wants his honest opinion, she needs to tell him about that moment. So she stops, takes a deep breath.

Jefferson's hand reach for hers finally, his fingers wrapping around hers and pulling her towards him, "Wow, you've been having quite the days."

Alright, she'll tell him.

"I kissed him," she blurts out without facing him, "On Henry's birthday party, I was upset because of my mother and he comforted me, I was caught up in the moment."

"Regina…" Jefferson starts, tells her, "You don't have to explain, I know how hard it is to lose someone you love and try to learn to love again, but if you grew to like this guy, if you want to give him a chance…"

"No, I don't want that," she rushes to assure him, shaking her head and shifting her gaze to meet his, "I'm not sure if I could do that, and Henry…, I… I loved Daniel, and it's been only a bit more than a year, I can't replace him like that."

She's not sure why she's even trying to come up with excuses, she doesn't like Robin, not that way, so she moves away from her friend's embrace – she doesn't need to be comforted, she just needs to stop talking about this – and walks towards the oven, peeking inside as if twenty minutes are enough for the roast beef to cook. Jefferson doesn't follow her, reaching for his drink and taking a sip before he moves to sit at the counter, "Everybody knows you loved Daniel, nobody will judge if you try to move on with someone."

"I don't want to move on," she throws the dishtowel over the marble counter, covering her face with her hands in despair.

"Regina… he's not coming back."

"I know, and it seems everybody wants to remind me of that. Henry told me the same… and that he wants to give Robin a chance to be his father."

"Isn't that good?" Jefferson tries, "He's trying to move on and, if he has a father, why can't he try to include him in his life?"

She feels the tears prickling her eyes once again, that knot in her throat she uses to feel when she's about to cry. She's so tired of crying, tired of working against her emotions.

"I'm afraid he'll forget Daniel, he's really young, Jefferson, and from now on Robin will be his father," it's her who reaches for him this time, who wraps her arms around his neck and buries her face in his shoulder in an attempt to hide the tears, afraid the kids might see her like this, "Daniel raised him."

"And he did a good job," Jefferson offers, "But he's not here anymore and you should be happy Henry has someone who cares about him as much as you do."

"He does," Jefferson's hand keeps moving up and down her back as she pulls back, trying to soothe her as she tells him about Robin, how he and Henry seem to get along so well since the first time they met each other. She peeks the time on the oven once again, wondering why it seems to pass so slowly right now, when she would rather be having a pleasant dinner with her friends instead of the depressing talk she dragged Jefferson into. She exhales heavily, lets the silence surround them.

She doesn't even try to fight the tears anymore, let them slide down her face, until she feels his fingers wiping them from her skin, his lips tilting up in a comforting smile.

"Thank you," she mutters, smiling back and gripping his hands, giving them a little squeeze, "I'm being an awful company."

"You are," he teases, his usual fun side finally back, "So you might want to make it up to me Saturday night? I really wanted to come back to that bar… Rabbit Hole?"

###

On Thursday, Robin invites Emma for a coffee, to which the blonde accepts gladly.

He parks his car in front of the building, heads towards the coffee shop and takes a seat at one of the tables, reaching for the menu as he inhales deeply the scent of fresh coffee and home-made bread coming from the kitchen. Emma is not there yet, but he had wanted to arrive early anyway so she wouldn't have to wait for him. He already feels bad enough to mess with her free time.

So he reaches for the menu placed in front of him, and scans the piece of paper with a frown, startling slightly when the blonde reaches for the chair in front of him and takes the seat.

"Hey, Robin," she greets, as Robin tries to recover from the surprise, exhaling heavily.

He lets her get settled first, before greeting her back, "Emma, I'm glad you could make it."

"I told you I would, what's the problem?"

"Regina."

Emma nods understandingly, says, "I know what happened, I met her yesterday while you took Henry for dinner."

He was expecting that, he supposes. He knows they are friends, but he wonders if she had told her about the kiss too.

"So you know she asked me for space," he replies, recalling the moment she asked him for that, the tears sliding down her face as if she didn't really wish him to stay away. He's sure her mother caused this, she did nothing more than to bother her during Henry's birthday party. And now she's building a wall around her once again, just like she did ten years ago when she didn't tell him he had a son, "I suppose you'll tell me to do what she asked?"

Emma shakes her head, for Robin's surprise, "I don't. I think you two need to deal with your problems."

He wants that too, but Regina seems to think they don't have any problems to deal with if they keep distance from each other. She didn't even let him inside her house the day before when he went to drop Henry after their dinner. Robin didn't even leave the car, he just left his son in front of their front yard. Why did he let her kiss him? He should be the one to push her away, she hid a huge part of his life, and however, he's the one who is here, sitting in front of Regina's best friend, trying to find a way to have a pleasant relationship with the mother of his son, so their life won't be even more complicated than it already is.

He didn't even want to bring Emma into this mess, but he doesn't know what to do, doesn't know how to have the opportunity to have another conversation with Regina, "You know what happened on Henry's party, right?" he asks, and Emma nods, "I told her I wasn't mad, but she is, and I'm fairly certain this has something to do with her mother, that woman has such a control over her."

He feels the sudden urge to talk to Cora himself, even if he knows that wouldn't help anything. She can't know he is Henry's father, it would make everything worse, but he can't handle the thought of sitting there and do nothing. Let Regina ignore him. He sighs deeply at that, reaches for the menu one more time, and focuses on choosing some snack. He has to remember that her mother is not always present. She lives far enough so that Regina can live her life in peace, but it's when she comes to visit that everything falls apart.

"It's not her mother, but I don't think I should talk to you about her reasons," Emma says, surprising Robin one more time. It's not her mother? So what is it? What made her make this decision so suddenly? He wants to help her, even if it seems she doesn't want any help. Everything it's getting more confused.

"I like her, Emma," Robin admits, his feels for her are a bit of a mess right now, but one thing he's sure: he cares for her, even if just as the mother of his child. He has the memory of him comforting her and he wouldn't change a thing. Even if that's the reason for her to push him away, he would offer her comfort all over again, "I just want to know how I can help, he's the mother of my son, we have to talk, she can't keep me away."

"And I agree with you, but it's not my place to talk about this," Emma explains, as Robin sighs in defeat, knowing she's right and that it has to be Regina to talk to him about this issue, "She's confused, and hurt, and grieving all over again, and I already said more than I should."

"Grieving? I worry about her, and I hate to know she's that upset."

"It's not really your business, Robin," she points out, because it really isn't, not until she tears her walls down and lets him in. To help her to recover. She'll probably kill Emma, and Robin, if she discovered they are talking about this, "Even if I wish she would let you help."

"What should I do?"

"What do you want to do?"

Is she serious?

"Emma, I want to talk to her!" Robin's voice raises a few tones, drawing the attention of the few people around them, "I think I have the right to tell her how I feel too."

Emma smirks. She tricked him to say it, he doesn't mean it that way, so he shakes his head, and tries to come up with his best words to explain what he wanted to say, "I don't mean my feelings for her, I… What I wanted to say is how I feel about this decision of her keeping me away."

She is still smirking, that annoying and infuriating smile she used to throw their way when he and Regina were still friends in college and she wanted them to be more than that. It's happening all over again, as if they were nineteen again. But she got him there, she knows it and he knows too.

"You want to talk to her?"

Robin straights in his seat and studies her, nodding his head slowly, "Yes. I tried to be mad at her, we tried to be friends, now we're trying to stay away and I don't think it's working for me."

Emma smiles again, and it's really annoying because this time, he knows he just gave her reasons to - telling her whatever he already tried about his relationship with Regina didn't work – he knows what her friend is thinking, "She will kill me, Robin, you've to promise me you'll be able to fix everything between you."

Robin thinks for a moment, and then nods his head, yes, he'll try to fix everything between them. He just can't miss out the opportunity, waiting for her to decide to have him back in her life. He has to do something about that.

"I promise I'll try."

* * *

 **Here's another chapter! Tell me if you liked it, please :)**


	16. Chapter 16

Chapter 16.

This is nice. Pleasant, a good distraction from everything that's been going on in her head these last few days. Jefferson had showed up at her door holding two boxes of popcorn, much to the kids' delight, and they had stayed with Ruby for a movie night at the brunette's house, so they wouldn't have to worry to leave early to send the young woman home. So Regina pushes her worries out of her head just for this moment, something she had been quite unable to do these last few days. Jefferson is trying to distract her, she knows he is, and surprisingly so, it is working. That, or her appletinis are really helping her to relax. She likes to drink, likes the lack of concern her drink offers with every sip, but when it makes her feel like she can't return home on her own feet, she knows she needs to stop. Because she has two sons at home to come back to.

Except that, today, is not one of those days. Today, she doesn't have Henry or Dylan waiting for her, doesn't have anybody to greet her when she opens the front door of her house. And Jefferson is saying something about Ruby, scolding Regina for not having introduced them early because she seems such a 'nice babysitter'. Regina grimaces at that, at the image of Jefferson flirting with Daniel's cousin before they left to the bar.

"Don't you dare Jefferson, she's just a girl, she'll fall for you and then you'll leave," Regina points out, and she almost can swear she spotted a twinge of disappointment in his features. It's better for him anyway, that he won't end up falling in love with someone who he'll have to leave behind. It's not like she can leave with him and his daughter when they have to return home, and this visit is just for a few days. She feels sad about it too, because she won't have more of these moments with her friend for a while.

Jefferson fiddles with the glass in his hands before he shrugs, explains, "I'm sorry, it's been just me and Grace for some time now, I guess I feel… lonely," he gives her a sad smile, one that definitely doesn't reach his eyes, before the mood changes completely and he's shaking his head, saying, "Oh god, I guess we are running low on cheerful topics."

He can say that, or maybe their lives are just a bit cloudy right now.

"Maybe I can give you the pep talk and then we can return to the drinks."

He laughs genuinely at her words, lifts his glass slightly from the counter, enough for her to click her drink with his before bring it to her lips, "That's great and all, but I think we _both_ need pep talks, don't you?" he asks, as she gives him a little smile, small but honest.

"Fair enough."

It's actually not as bad as she was expecting. They are friends, so it gets easier to talk about these things, not to mention the alcohol seems to help with that, since it appears it does not bother her anymore talking about a certain blue-eyed man. She actually doesn't mind talking about Robin – he had been her best friend and she can't say she doesn't like to remember their moments when they were just that - but it's when the conversation shifts and Jefferson start asking about how she feels, that she doesn't like it anymore.

He asks if she would be willing to give him a chance, if she would be happy about it, and she shakes her head, explains that, right now, Robin is mad at her, so it doesn't really matter what she wants or doesn't want. And she needs time, time to settle in her head that she's not even deserved of him anymore.

"Alright, so basically you're telling me you care about this guy, but he's mad at you, so that doesn't really matter?" he sips his drink one more time, his eyes shifting over Regina's shoulder, "Because I have a feeling that, if looks could kill, I'd be already dead by those blue eyes at the end of the bar."

Her head turns immediately, and she realizes she had more drinks than she should when the movement causes a severe dizziness and pounding in her head, "Robin?!"

Jefferson's eyes widen at her words, his fingers tightening around his glass in a protective gesture, "That's him?"

She doesn't answer. As soon as she sees him approaching, Regina finds herself rising from her seat and heading towards the restroom, where she knows she can have a moment to pull herself together. Well, she hopes, it wouldn't be the first time Robin enters the ladies' room after her. And then, there's a moment of awkwardness, when she realizes she's really running away from her son's father during a night out with a friend at the bar. God, she must be really drunk, it's not like she can avoid him forever and it will be even more uncomfortable to face him after she had been hiding in the bathroom. She should listen to him, he didn't even get the chance to talk when she kicked him out of her house a week ago.

This is not the night she was expecting. It was actually off to a pretty great start, before Robin had somehow found out where she was and had followed her here. Did he really follow her?

She has already lost count of the number of times she had been on a night out with Robin when they were just in college, how many times they had danced and had shared drinks together. But tonight, she just doesn't want him _here_ , or at least, doesn't want him following her everywhere and trying to have a conversation in the middle of a crowded bar. So now she's locked in the restroom, with her back against the door and trying to decide whether or not she should give him a chance to talk – she should, she's just being unfair, but why today, why right now?

She can hear them on the other side of the door, Robin and Jefferson, who is trying to make him leave, telling him something she can't quite understand with the loud music coming out from the speakers. But she's sure her friend is standing up for her, the muffled, but loud, voices, the way he'd glanced at Robin when he tried to approach them at the bar. She sighs heavily and moves away from the door, wrapping her hand around the cold handle. She has to put an end to this. So she takes a deep breath, and opens the door before she could regret her decision.

It's, above all, a little bit awkward – they are standing, facing each other, in front of the door, and there are some girls behind them, waiting to use the restroom, their faces as asking what was happening there a few moments ago. Regina mutters an apology and frees the bathroom for them, and then it's just them, Regina, Robin, and Jefferson, sharing an uncomfortable moment in front of the ladies' room. She's glad to have a friend like Jefferson, who wouldn't think twice about standing up for her, but this is not his problem, and she shouldn't drag him into this.

He shouldn't even have to defend her. This is her doing.

Robin gives her a pleading look and takes a step closer, causing his arm to rub against hers, while Jefferson's hand moves to hold hers in his grasp on the other side. She's literally stuck between both of them, not that they are keeping her from moving, but she can feel the tension of the moment, and she knows that if she says she doesn't want to talk to Robin, Jefferson will make sure she doesn't have to. She can feel his grip tightening around her palm, his fingers pressed against her skin, and the last thing she needs is for this to end up in a bar fight. Not Robin and Jefferson, not the father of her child and her best friend.

So she offers Jefferson a small smile, one she hopes it will be enough to reassure him, and moves away from his hold, says, "Can you give us a moment? I'll be right back."

He blinks in response, his hands moving to dig into his pockets as he nods, "Of course," and then he presses his lips to her temple, just for a brief second before he pulls back and throws a glance at the blue-eyed man. Well, it could've been worse.

He tells her he will be by the bar waiting for her, leaving them finally alone, and Regina turns to face Robin one more time, asking, "What are you doing here?"

"I'm sorry," he says, genuinely, "But I need to talk to you and I couldn't wait."

"Well, you'll have to wait because, in case you haven't noticed, I'm busy right now," she replies, a bit of teasing in her voice as she silently wonders what does he want to tell her, and why can't it wait for the next day. She realizes why, when she notices him glancing at Jefferson sitting at the counter, and he was right earlier, if looks could kill, he'd be dead by now. This is actually kind of amusing. She's not on a date with Jefferson, but it looks Robin thinks she is. Should she tell him the truth? He's attractive when he's jealous, or maybe she's just that drunk that she thinks he is.

But they almost ended up in a fight a few minutes ago, and that's really the last thing she needs. She wanted Robin out of her life, not fighting for her against a man who doesn't even have any intention to date her.

So she bites back a smile and focuses her attention on him, explains, "Robin, I'm not really-"

"You don't have time to talk to me right now, I got it, I just wanted to… set some things about Henry," and then he turns to leave, make his way out of the bar, and she wasn't really expecting him to be so upset about the possibility of her being on a date. She follows him through the crowd, and is almost reaching him before she feels a grip on her arm, pulling her back until she loses sight of him.

She would think it would be Jefferson, she's just expecting that when she turns and is about to protest, the words stuck in her throat as she is met with bright eyes staring back at her – not her best friend's blue eyes, not Robin's, but ones she's pretty sure she has never seen before.

"Let me buy you a round?" she offers the man an apologetic smile, one meant to get her out of there without having to start any argument, as she shakes her head at his offer, and attempts to free herself from his grasp once again, "You know, I have my eye on you for a while and that guy… he seems an idiot."

She feels the nerves creeping in her gut, and she's fairly sure the alcohol won't help her with this situation, it's just really making her sick to her stomach as she straights her posture and clears her throat, in an attempt to control the anxiety as she replies, "Thank you… but I'm fine."

"Well, maybe you could give me a chance."

"Or maybe you should back off," her eyes widen at the sight of Robin approaching them, stopping right behind the man holding her arm. This will be bad. This is starting to be a terrible night. And she feels sick, with the nerves, and the alcohol. How could she believe she would have a night of fun with her friend? She should have seen this coming. She would never think Robin would follow her here, but she should have predicted something would happen and spoil her evening. How did she think she could forget everything for one night?

She truly wished she could. She had made such an effort to put her worries out of her mind, to don't think about Henry's father. She almost wants to believe this is his fault, for appearing all of a sudden and make her ask her best friend for a moment to talk to him, to just end up, literally, in the grasp of a man she doesn't even know. He's an idiot.

But now, that idiot is standing up for her, making him drop her arm and answering his provocation of _'you lost your opportunity when you left her here be herself, now give the chance to another'_.

"She's not a prize you can win!"

Maybe she should get out of here. Get some fresh air, find Jefferson. She will ask him to drive her home since they came here together. And then she will sleep, because she's really dizzy right now and the music and the argument are not really helping. Yes, that's her best option. To sleep and to…

Shit, she needs to get the alcohol out of her body.

And the worst of it is that she doesn't think she will make it to the bathroom. She doesn't want to throw up in front of Robin, not in the middle of a crowded bar, that's for sure. Why did she mix those drinks? It seemed a good idea at the beginning, a way for her to get loose for a moment. But it was just a really awful, and pretty soon, nasty idea.

She just has time to clutch Robin's arm when she starts to feel the need to throw up in her throat, surprising her when she's able to control it and just causes her the reflex of curl her body forward, as she clenches her belly. But she's sure it won't go away anytime soon, and she really, really needs to go home. Where she can be as sick as she needs, and lay down on her bed to have some rest. The boys are not home. Good. At least, one thing she did well during this evening. And now she just needs to find Jefferson, no matter how hard it is becoming to keep standing right now.

"Dude, actually… you can have her," she hears the other man's voice over the loud music, just in time for her to raise her head and see him walking away from them, disappearing into the crowd. Asshole. But it's better this way, she can feel her head pounding, and Robin's hands securing her by her biceps, and she tries to keep her eyes focused on him, in an attempt to help her keep standing. She won't drink a single drop of alcohol again in her life, not after the way it's making her embarrassing herself in the middle of a bar.

She has just been rejected, in an insulting way, but Robin is still here, helping her until he makes sure she's feeling better – something she's sure won't happen without a proper night of sleep – and he doesn't seem willing to leave this time, despite everything that happened, despite she had told him to stay away, despite she had tried to get rid of him again this evening. She was doing so well, enjoying a night out with Jefferson, and now she doesn't even know where he is. And he doesn't know what happened.

"We have to get you home."

No.

No, no, no, she won't let Robin drive her home. She needs to find Jefferson, it's him who has to drop her home, is him who is spending the evening with her. Robin helped her, alright, but he just has to take her to her friend and she will be fine, she will be home in no time. She just doesn't want to go with _him_. She doesn't want to go to an empty house with Robin. And certainly not when she's feeling this sick. She wants to be comfortable in her own house, and with him there, it won't be possible. So she shakes her head, a little faster than she intended, and asks him to take her to Jefferson.

"Regina, you're about to pass out in my arms, and the only thing your… _friend_ knows is that you were left with me. I'm not really in the mood to be beaten when I just want to help," he teases, and it actually makes her laugh. She buries her head in his shoulder and takes a deep breath, and she feels his hand on her lower back as he assures he'll text Jefferson to let him know about the change of plans as long as she gives him his number. That's… wise, he'll understand. She just wants her bed right now.

She shuts every voice in her head that tells her this is not a good idea, that letting Robin drive her home it's not a good idea, and raises her head from his shoulder, as she nods slightly. She'll drink a mug of lemon tea when she arrives, to help to slow the effect of the alcohol, and then she'll sleep and wake up in the morning (maybe afternoon) feeling a lot better to pick up the kids and talk with Jefferson by then. It's a good plan, too good to be true, but she'll worry about it later.

Now she will just see how it goes.

He wraps an arm around her shoulders and leads her towards his car, and she hopes the ride won't make her even sicker than she already is as she hands him her phone, so he can text Jefferson to let him know what's happening. She'll just worry about this later…

It's hard in the beginning, she keeps wondering how her friend will react to the text, if he'll get mad, but it gets easier by the time, and she knows Jefferson will understand everything as soon as she'll be able to talk to him. And then Robin is parking his car in front of her front yard, and she thinks she's actually feeling better right now.

 _Thinks._

She gets out of the car and crosses the yard towards the front door, searching for her keys in the mess that it is her bag. Robin is right behind her, walking the few steps to her porch as she heads towards the kitchen, a wave of nausea hitting her before she could even reach the counter.

Wonderful.

She doesn't want to give him more reasons to stay and take care of her, but she doesn't really can control these things. It seems everything is working against her. Nevertheless, she's happy to be home, even if he is here. Her head is still spinning, and she's happy to have a bathroom near in case she needs it all of a sudden. She just wants that tea, even if she's mostly likely to waste it. Maybe she can ask Robin to help.

No, no she won't ask Robin for help. She's perfectly capable of making some tea, show him she can take care of herself. So she takes a deep breath and walks towards the stove, reaching for one of the bags before another nausea hits her without she be really expecting it.

This one sends her running towards the downstairs bathroom, makes her drop in front of the toilet just in time for a good amount of her dinner to be expelled from her body, as she finally loses the battle and throws up the meal together with her drinks. Her head is still protesting, the room is spinning around her, but she definitely feels a lot better, at least until she feels Robin's hand holding her hair and reminding her that he's _still_ there and probably won't leave so soon. God, this is awful, embarrassing enough.

She doesn't even have any strength, will, to tell him to leave, not when she's feeling like this, not when she still doesn't have the damn tea to help, and she really wants to have a good night (or what's left of it) of sleep. So she says nothing and leans back, breathes for a moment while Robin takes advantage of the moment and flushes the toilet. She needs to get this taste out of her mouth, and would very much like to have a moment to look terrible alone, so she mutters a thank you and asks Robin if he can make her the tea, after she gets back on her feet and walks towards the sink to brush her teeth and rinse her mouth with water.

He leaves her to take care of herself and returns to the kitchen, while she ties her hair in a ponytail and washes her face out of her makeup, using a wet towel to wipe the sweat around her collarbone.

It feels much better. _She_ feels much better.

Robin is waiting for her in the living room, sitting on the couch, one mug in his hand while hers is placed above the coffee table.

Lemon tea. It could be worse. She actually enjoys the bitter taste in her tongue as she takes the first sip of her drink. It warms her inside, and it helps with the alcohol. So she drinks it in silence, both of them, as she lets the drink soothe her stomach.

When she finally finishes it, she thinks she'll be able to sleep now, her head is still bothering her, but nothing she can't handle. The house is quiet, it's just her and Robin, and although she's glad the kids are not home and she has the time to cure the hangover in the morning, right now, it's just awkward to be here alone with Robin. Strangely comforting, but awkward. It makes her wonder what she should do, if she should tell him to leave or simply don't tell him anything. She doesn't want him to leave her alone. Maybe she won't say anything.

No, no, she can't do that. He can't spend the night.

He _shouldn't_ spend the night. It'll make everything worse. It'll make her even more confused. She has to ask him to leave, thank him, and then send him away. She'll be fine alone. She's a grown up woman and she just has to wash the mugs before she goes to sleep. Or maybe she'll directly to bed.

So she prepares herself to do just that and places her cup on the coffee table, watches as Robin leaves his seat and collects the dishes, before he heads towards the kitchen to what she thinks is to wash the mugs. She sighs heavily – it's not her fault that she doesn't seem to have the opportunity to tell him to leave.

###

She's sleeping peacefully.

There's something about her, something that keeps him from leaving her even if he knows she will probably just wake up in the morning, something that had made him want to kill the guy, who had grabbed her at the bar. She's beautiful, and now he's just looking at her as she sleeps on her couch, and he can't really blame the guy for trying his luck. He keeps doing the same, unconsciously, as he's here taking care of her, or when he'd called Emma asking for help. But he'll stop trying, because, obviously, she doesn't want him in her life. She was on a date with another man tonight.

The thought of her… friend, makes him remember of the text he sent from her phone, telling him she had returned home and that he didn't have to worry because she would talk to him tomorrow. All this as if it was her sending the text herself. He's kind of curious to read the answer… He wants to know who this man is, if he's the same who caused Robin to delay his dinner with _his_ son.

Henry would tell him if he asked, he's sure of it, everything seems easier by a child's point of view, but he doesn't think he would be able to do that, at least until the man proves to be an important part of Regina's life, or when Robin knows that affects Henry. Because, after all, it is Robin who is _here_ now, taking care of her, even if she had asked him for some space.

And he doesn't mind a bit. It reminds him of the times in college when he was the one sick and she was who took care of him.

But now she's sleeping, and he knows he shouldn't be around when she wakes up, because she won't be happy about it, he knows she won't, and he actually is not helping anymore if he stands here, gawking at her. But her phone on table buzzes with a notification, makes Robin make sure she's really sleeping before he reaches for it, Jefferson's name popping up on the screen, together with his reply: _'It's alright, beautiful, take care of you. We'll talk later when we pick up the kids._ '

Pick up the kids?

"I wasn't on a date with him, you know?"

Regina's voice interrupts his thoughts, startling Robin as he places the phone back on the table and shakes his head, struggling to find the best words to explain what he was doing with _her_ phone, "Oh, no, I was just… I don't really have an excuse for what I was doing. I'm sorry."

"You were reading my texts," she points out, with a smirk on her lips that almost seems she's not upset. So she wasn't really sleeping…

"I'm sorry, I shouldn't have-"

"Do we still have a bit of the tea left?"

Robin nods his head in response, desperate to change the subject, as he tells her he will fetch her a mug and for her to get comfortable to drink it. She gives him a grateful smile, her hand reaching for the phone he had placed on the coffee table, probably to read the text she had received, the text that was meant for _her_.

When he gets back with the drink, Regina had already shifted, made room for him as she sits straight on the couch.

"I'm sorry if the text gave you the wrong impression," she tells him, figuring out what had been bothering him, "Jefferson is my friend, he has a daughter Henry's age and we left them with Ruby."

His expression softens at her words, the wrinkles in his forehead, due to his frown, are not so evident anymore, until he reminds himself that this is wrong, she shouldn't have to explain something that was not meant to him in the first place. But the truth is, her words make him relax for a bit, even if he's not really sure why.

He doesn't want her to date anyone, he thinks, selfish, but it's the truth. His eyes study her face, watch as she brings the mug to her lips, remembering the opportunity he had to feel them against his own. She looks a lot better, thank God, her cheeks are a light shade of pink and her hair up makes her look refreshed. He just hopes she hasn't indulged in the alcohol because of him. Because the situation they are in. Or maybe she was just really enjoying a night out and then he showed up and spoiled everything.

Whatever the answer is, he's here now, taking care of her, and she doesn't seem to mind, because he's pretty sure she never wanted to push him away, never wanted him out of her life completely. So why did she do it? Why is she so afraid? He thinks that he already gave her many proofs that he's not mad, or at least, he can't really stay away.

"Don't apologize, I shouldn't have read the text in the first place," he finally breaks the silence, sitting more comfortable as he turns to face her, "How are you feeling?"

"I'm getting a sense of déjà vu," she teases, and he laughs, because it's true, and he feels grateful that he can be the one who is taking care of her when she's sick for a second time, "Thank you, for doing this for me, you're a good friend," she tightens the grip around her mug, her gaze shifting to it, and he notices how her expression changes, a frown appearing on her face.

He knows what's crossing through her mind, that she hadn't been a great friend these last few days, so he grabs her chin with two fingers, to make her look at him as he says, "Regina, you can tell me what's bothering you."

She freezes, shakes her head in response, "I don't want to talk about that now."

"Alright," he agrees, because he's tired too, "What should we do?"

She smiles at that, places her mug on the table and reaches for her phone to check the time, 4 Am, and then sits back on the couch, this time, closer to him, as she grabs the remote and says, "Care to watch some movie?"

###

There's one problem about the television at this hour of the morning, and that would be – the scheduling sucks. She's not usually awake at four in the morning, so she didn't really know what they would be faced with, but now she can say she's already regretting her idea of watching TV. Horror movies, or movies with a lot of sex, and Regina can't seem to find a channel good enough to entertain them without the embarrassing situation of watching a sex scene with Robin. It's… awkward, and now she just really wants to go to bed and sleep the few hours she has left. But Robin is here, she invited him to stay, and she can't do much about it right now. At least, she likes his company, TV aside, it is soothing. Knowing he's there if she needs him.

He lifts his arm and allows her to lean against him, as his hand runs through her skin, at the same time the other reaches for the remote, "Can I? I think I know a channel that's not so bad," he says, and then he changes it, for a horror movie, great.

She tries to ignore it and watch it anyway – it's definitely better than the other ones, that's for sure, but does not fail to be horrible in the same. So she focuses her attention on the soothing motion of his hand on her shoulder, instead of the group in the movie running through a dark hallway, already expecting something to happen to one of them. She hates these movies, they are just… so predictable. And disgusting.

But Robin seems to like it. She notices how his eyes are glued to the screen, his jaw tightened as he lets himself get carried into the story. Notices how he looks personally frustrated when one of the characters makes a choice he knows to be far from the right one. She smiles to herself, wondering what's going on in his head. He's clearly far from there already, and it gives Regina the chance to look at him, r _eally_ look at him.

He's dressed in a short-sleeve shirt, his arms bare to her eyes, and she thinks on the chest beneath that shirt, the one she's leaned against to right now. She hears his heart beating under her ear, thinks that maybe she shouldn't be _this_ close to him, but she's really comfortable, and she doesn't really want to move right now. How did she allow herself to lose this? This comfort. Not to mention she would lose it again, one week ago, if it wasn't for Robin to be so persistent. She's glad he is, she really is, but, at the same time, she wonders why. Why does he care so much for her? She's not sure if it's good at all, not sure if it can lead them to anything good, between all her fears and worries. She'll talk to him about it, about her reasons, what led her to ask him for some time. Will say it's because she's afraid to hurt him a second time, afraid to hurt Henry. And because she's not sure she's able to love someone again after Daniel. Maybe she can talk to him tonight, if she has the courage to do it.

He's distracted right now, if not, he had already noticed she's lost in her thoughts, something he had always done since their time in college. He knows her better than anyone, knows when she's not present, and that's scary and comforting at the same time.

How would it be if she gave him an opportunity to know her even better? For her to be loved by someone again. She is falling for him, or better, she has already fallen. Maybe it's just because he's always _here_ for her, for Henry, and she can't stop her mind to wonder how it would be to have him back – or to have him at all, since in college they didn't get to really date. To be able to call him _hers_.

"Oh, God!" his voice pulls her away from her thoughts as she spots some kind of poorly-made monster on the TV screen, pulling her away from the fictitious life she was already creating with Robin, raising Henry together and not co-parenting as they are trying to do. And it's the last thing she needs. To know how Henry would be happy about that prospect.

She wishes Robin wasn't here. For her to stop thinking about these things and start acting like a responsible adult. Maybe if she acted like one, she wouldn't be in this situation right now.

"You don't really like this film, do you?" Robin asks teasingly, and Regina shifts her gaze to him, noticing his eyes are not on the screen anymore. She doesn't really like the movie, no, but she didn't want to distract him and maybe having him trying to talk to her about more complicated issues.

But she shakes her head as Robin keeps with the slow motion of his hand, and offers him a little smirk, her voice a little guilty as she says, "It's pretty bad, yes."

"We can just watch something else," Robin offers, and Regina remembers the other options they have, the sex scenes and how awkward would be, so she shakes her head, assures him that's fine, that she is more sleeping than really watching the movie anyway (a little lie for the sake of this night).

"And you seemed pretty entertained."

Robin gives her a guilty shrug, and it makes her smile genuinely until he shifts in his seat, removing his arm from around her shoulders as he says, "Maybe I should let you get some rest."

Regina's smile drops. Yes, he should, and she should let him go, but she feels so comfortable right now, and she doesn't want to stay alone, Henry and Dylan are not home, and she's not used to be all by herself, she likes the company. But this is Robin, the last person she should have in her house in the middle of the night, when nobody is there.

She tries to mask her real thoughts, her lips pressed together as she's thinking, "You can finish the movie."

"It's okay, I'm not really watching," Robin assures, "Unless you need me to stay?"

"I don't mind the company," she teases, "And I may need more tea."

"So I shall make it for you," he tells her with a smile, and Regina shakes her head, grabs his hand as he's about to leave his seat, and pulls him back towards the couch, making him fall back onto the cushions where he was previously sitting.

"I don't mean now," Regina chuckles, "But you can keep with the massages if you want."

Robin laughs and adjusts his position, letting her sit against him once again as his hand returns to her shoulder. He runs his fingers through her skin, something she definitely shouldn't have asked him to if she wants distance. But she doesn't. She imagines him here, spending more nights on this couch than it's proper to, as two friends, spending some time together, talking about their son, and it just… hurts. Hurts that she doesn't allow herself that, afraid she will make mistakes again and, this time, affect Henry of all the people.

But he's here now, so she cuddles up against him, presses her back tightly against his chest and places her palm on her stomach, still protesting from the alcohol. His hand on her shoulder moves too, allows him to be more comfortable to have her sitting against him, and moves to stop below her hand, caressing lightly her achy belly. She lets out a heavy sigh of relief, the warmth of his hand, helping to soothe the discomfort, and he continues with the slow motion, her hand always following his as he moves it side to side on her stomach.

"Does it hurt?" Robin asks, leaning to look at her, and Regina just shrugs and closes her eyes in response, "Maybe you should get rid of that dress," she laughs at his words, making him realize how that may have sounded as he widens his eyes and tries to explain what he meant, "I didn't… I was just saying maybe you would be more comfortable on your pajamas?"

It's a fair assumption, her dress looks everything but comfortable right now, but that would mean she would have to get up and head upstairs to change, and she's not really in the mood for that, not when his hand keeps moving and is really helping with the mild pain in her stomach. This whole thing… she could have had this when she was pregnant with Henry, she could've had Robin caressing her belly and talking with their son…

"I'll change in a bit."

"As you prefer."

So she closes her eyes once again, relishes on this moment as she tries to clear her head from her confusing thoughts. She can feel Robin's breath in her hair, his hand still moving in circles on her stomach, the other gripping tightly the remote as they _try_ to continue to watch the movie. None of them is really focused right now, it's clear, since Robin keeps glancing at her once in a while. But it's comforting, knowing he cares about her to the point he won't leave in the middle of the night unless she tells him so. He shouldn't have this power to comfort her, the feel of his hands over her dress shouldn't be so soothing. She wonders how they would feel without nothing separating them from her skin…

What is she thinking? She can't think about Robin this way.

She opens her eyes and turns a little to look at him – his blue eyes shining with the glow of the TV – and then he looks at her too, locking his gaze with hers as he offers her a smile and asks if she needs something.

"Do you want more tea?" he asks, shifting his position and grasping her hand in his, "Or maybe some medicine?"

She shakes her head, intertwines her fingers with his as she shrugs, "I don't know what I'm doing. You shouldn't be here, but I don't want to be alone," she gives him an apologetic look, before her eyes drop to their hands, watching as he keeps playing with her fingers. It's really comforting, and gentle, and wrong at the same time, but she does nothing to stop it, because maybe she can have this just for today – his friendship, she wants them to be friends more than anything. Because she can't ask him to be more than that, "I'm sorry, I dragged you into this, you don't have to take care of me, you can go if you want."

"Regina, I'm not going anywhere," he assures, "You were not feeling well and I'm glad to help."

Her lips tilt up in a smile, "You already helped a lot."

"I don't feel that way, is there anything more I can do?"

He did so much more than he had already. It's not his fault she can't figure it out what she wants. But she can't really tell him she's falling for him, she doesn't have the right. She hurt him ten years ago, hurt him a second time now, so she has no right to drag him into her messy life. He's Henry's father, so he has to be just that, not the person who has to take care of her when she's sick because she drank too much alcohol.

He deserves someone who can make him happy without the memory of that someone hiding his son for ten years. He deserves someone who would never do that to him. And that someone is not her, because she already had her chance and she missed it. So she has to tell him everything, tell him why she pushed him away, and then let him move on with his life.

"You can answer one question."

"Alright," he frowns, "What do you want me to tell you?"

"How did you find me tonight?" she asks, leaving his embrace and turning to face him.

"Emma. She told me where to find you, because I said I wanted to talk to you," she scoffs at that, but doesn't interrupt him, "Please, don't be mad at her, she just wanted to help you."

"By sending you after me when I told you both I needed time," she doesn't want to seem ungrateful, because Robin really helped her tonight, but she hates when they go behind her back. She doesn't need Emma to fight her own battles for her, telling Robin where he can go to talk to her, she can do that herself.

"I'm sorry if I spoiled your night. I guess I failed to do what you asked, I tried to keep away, but it's hard, Regina, I've missed you. And then you just kiss me, and one week later you are on a date with another guy, it's-"

"It wasn't a date," she squeezes his hand in reassurance, making him look at her, his eyes locked with hers, "And our kiss-"

"Didn't mean nothing to you, I know."

Wait, what?

"Robin…"

"I know what you told me, but, usually, I don't kiss people to comfort them, and I let you kiss me twice. I care about you, Regina, and I feel that, since I'm back in your life, I'm just making it harder for you. I don't want that, I'm learning to forgive, why are you making it more difficult?"

She feels the tears prickling the back of her eyes – he seems to have the power to make her cry every time they talk to each other – as they cloud her vision, and she feels Robin's free hand moving to wipe them away of her skin. She presses her lips together, tightens the grip on his hand, and looks deeply into his eyes, noticing his own tears are threatening to fall as well.

"I'm afraid. I don't know if I can do this, and I don't want to hurt you, or Henry."

Robin shushes her as he shakes his head, and moves his hand on her face to brush his thumb along her lips, tracing the scar on her upper lip. Regina lets out a deep breath, leans her face against his hand and relishes on the feeling of his hand on her face, the warmth touch against her skin. She dreamed so many times about this moment, when she would allow herself to let her guard down around Robin. He knows her like the back of his hand, and knows when she's not well, so it wasn't like she could avoid him forever.

So she lets him comforting her. Keeps their fingers intertwined, their hands caressing each other, as he shifts closer to her, sitting within arm's length, "You don't have to be afraid," he tells her, "We'll just see how it goes, alright?"

###

What is he doing?

He was here to take care of her. To help her because she was sick, and not to ask for a chance of her to accept him back in her life. He was just trying to help. But he promised Emma, and himself, that he would fix everything between them, and that means listening to what seems to upset her regarding their relationship. Means that he has to fight for her if he wants her to be able to accept him. And that doesn't bother him at all, because she matters to him. He had told her just so.

So he doesn't pull back. Holds on to her hand, placed between them on the couch, and keeps staring at her. He likes to watch her, missed having her right there in front of him, so he'll take this opportunity to do just that. Because he doesn't know if she'll tell him to leave her alone once again, or if she just really wants distance from him – he hopes not, but he wouldn't be surprised.

But for now, she's there, and she doesn't seem to want him to go home.

"Robin, that's not fair to you, I don't know if I can do it, you should be able to be happy with someone."

He brings her closer to him then, their foreheads touching, he can feel her breath against his skin. She's building the walls around her once again, and he can't have that, he can choose who he thinks to be the right person for him and, despite everything she had done, he likes her and it's not like he can control his feelings. His gaze shifts to her lips then, and he remembers what's like to kiss them, and it's all he can think about to do right now. Feeling her lips against his own, her tongue moving with his, but he won't kiss her if she doesn't want him to, so he waits. Neither of them moves as he feels the tension surrounding them.

"I think that's my decision to make, don't you?" he teases, "I don't mind trying, I like you, Regina, I always did."

And it's all it takes for her to close the distance between them and crash her mouth into his. Robin's lips tilting up in a smile as she kisses him.

It's been one week and, despite he didn't have the right to, he already missed having her like this. His hand cupping her head to keep her against him, hers fisting his shirt. He can hear the moan on the back of her throat, that bloody sound that does things to him, and he releases the hand he had their fingers intertwined and places it on her back, bringing her closer.

She doesn't stop him, and he traces her lip with his tongue, asking for entrance, to which she grants him gladly, lets his tongue move with hers as they deepen the kiss. He doesn't even know what this means, if they will try for a relationship now, or if she's just affected by this whole thing and he's just a way out of the reality once again. Either way, he doesn't care, he just wants to kiss her and talk about it later, something that didn't really work out for them the last time.

But she's letting out these sounds as he kisses her, and is clinging to him, her chest pressed against his, and besides, it was her who started the kiss. So he pushes those thoughts out of his mind and tightens the grip around her, tries to ignore how her hands move frantically on her chest. His shirt is thin enough that he can feel the warmth of them, and he sighs heavily at the touch, before pulling away to take a breath.

"I was waiting to do this for so long," he admits, her lips tilting up in a smile as he gives her a quick peck.

"Believe me, I was too, but…" she starts, running her fingers through his hair as he kisses the scar on her lip, the same he had been tracing with his thumb earlier before he finishes for her, _'Henry'_.

"I'm afraid how he'll react, especially if this doesn't work out."

"We can protect him," he tries, offering her a reassuring smile, his dimples showing, "We don't have to tell him right away, we'll see how this goes."

She seems concerned about that idea, lie to Henry it's not something he's comfortable to do too, but it's not really lying if they are planning to tell him, they will just wait for the right time to do that. But she's still apprehensive, even if she seems to want that, so Robin's hands keep caressing her lower back, over the fabric of her dress, his palm moving back and forth in a soothing motion.

Regina bites her lower lip as she thinks, but then something seems to grab her attention, making her frown, and maybe it's not just Henry, maybe there's something more keeping her from doing it.

"Tell me what's bothering you," he says, moves his hands to grasp hers, removing them from around his neck and placing it on the space between them, "It's not Henry, what it is?"

"Daniel," she mutters, not really sure if Robin knows who she's talking about, "Dylan's father. He died just over a year ago and I feel… I feel like I'm betraying him. I know he's dead, and he is not coming back, but…" she closes her eyes, his grip on her hands tightening as she sighs, "I loved him and it feels like I'm forgetting him."

"You're not forgetting him. I know this may sound suspicious coming from the man kissing you in your living room, but… he would want you to be happy."

He would, if he loved Regina, he would. And she has to move on with her life, she has to give herself a second chance to love, and Robin just wants her to help to believe in that. He's the best person to show her she can have a second chance. They'll be giving their relationship just that if she accepts it.

"You know, you're the first person who literally didn't tell me ' _he's dead, you need to move on_ ', and for that I'm glad."

"Why would I do that?"

Regina frowns at his words, but she sees the genuine look on his face, and she offers him a smirk, says, "Maybe because you're the man kissing me in my living room, and you want me to give you a chance," her tongue peeks out to wet her lips, drawing Robin's attention to it, and yes, he wants that, but he doesn't want to make her suffer even more than she already did with Dylan's father's death.

"I want you to give me a chance because you want to, not because someone tells you, you need to move on," he answers, and Regina's expression softens, her lips tilting up in a smile as she nods.

"I still don't know where this will take us, but… I'm willing to see."

* * *

 **I'm glad you're liking this story, thank you for your reviews, and here's a new chapter. Tell me if you liked it! :)**


	17. Chapter 17

Chapter 17.

Regina wakes up to the feeling of soft kisses on her shoulder, without the clear memory of what happened the night before.

She doesn't remember falling asleep, can't recall pretty much anything since her talk with Robin. But now she can feel his arm wrapped around her torso, her back pressed against his chest as he holds her against him so she won't fall off the narrow couch. She likes to wake up like this, wrapped in his embrace as the sunlight tries to break into the room through the curtains. She just wants to fall asleep again… maybe if she doesn't move, she will be able to do that.

Why is he trying to wake her? She needs her rest.

So she keeps laying still for a little while longer, while he keeps his caresses with no idea she's already awake. She closes her eyes once again, lets out a deep breath and shifts closer to him, feeling his smile against her skin as he kisses her temple, "I know you're awake, love, your breath changed since you woke up."

As she peels her eyes open, the memories of the night before come back to her mind – him driving her home, the talk, the kisses… They had _just_ shared a few kisses, right?

Oh god, what did she do? She just agreed to give him a chance.

She turns to face him to be greeted with a kiss on her forehead, his hand moving to remove a few strands of hair out of her eyes.

"Hi, beautiful," he teases warmly, the frown on her face just helping to put a smile on his lips.

"You shouldn't be here," she mutters, her voice husky and rough from the sleep, "What time is it?"

"Ten," he tells her.

She still can feel Robin's hand running up and down her side, keeping her from moving as she remembers herself that Jefferson should be here any minute so they can pick up the kids from Ruby's together. She sighs at the thought, she really needs to sleep, and she still can feel her head throbbing from the drinks she had last night, "You have to go, and I have to get ready to pick up the boys from their sitter."

He gives her waist a little squeeze, before tightening the grip around her body. He doesn't want to leave, and she doesn't want him to go either, but they have to, the last thing she needs is Jefferson finding them cuddling on the couch together.

God, he looks so handsome, even in the morning, even with his eyes heavy with sleep, and his hair all messy from his position.

She wants this every day, why did she give up on this?

Her hand moves to cup his cheek, at the same time he asks, "At least, let me cook you breakfast?"

She bites her lip in response, rubs their noses together before she captures his lips with hers on a quick peck.

"I'm waiting for Jefferson, I need to get ready, I'll just have something quick," she explains him, as she notices the disappointment on his features, the frown on his face when he relaxes his grip around her.

"I should be the one to pick up _our_ son with you, not… your friend."

The corners of her lips tilt up a little, as she teases, "Are you jealous, Locksley? Because, you're the one who slept with me on my couch. Jefferson is my friend, his daughter is at Ruby's too, so we agreed to pick up the kids together."

Robin nods and gives her a little smile, pulling her closer to him and telling her, "Alright, as long as I can kiss you for a minute."

She rolls her eyes at his words, her smile widening before it drops all of a sudden, "We still have to talk about this."

"I thought we just had… last night," Robin frowns, but she shakes her head, her gaze shifting towards the collar of his shirt.

"I was drunk," she remembers him, "I want… I just think we should talk about this again, when we are both sober and not running on cheap alcohol," she notices the apprehension in his eyes, and it's not like she was _that_ drunk that she didn't know what she was saying, so she assures him, "I like you, Robin, but… this is important and we deserve more than a late night conversation."

His expression softens, and he nods, says, "You're right, we'll talk about it, then," his hand moves to her cheek, his thumb caressing her skin and the bags under her eyes, as he leans forward and presses a kiss on the tip of her nose, "When you want to, just let me know."

"I will," she assures, closing her eyes and burying her face in the crook of his neck, "But not now, I'm sleep deprived and my head is throbbing."

Robin cups her head with his free hand, asks, "Do you need me to get you some medicine?"

Because it's the least he can do, he had helped to keep her awake last night and he's the one who is not letting her sleep this morning, even if Jefferson is due at her house any minute and she has to get ready to pick up the boys.

"It's okay," she assures, her voice muffled by his skin, "Just… don't move."

Robin chuckles, runs his fingers through her hair and closes his eyes as well, "Well, I'll take that as a good sign," he mutters teasingly, feels her shifting closer to him while her hand grips his shirt, "I understand that you want to talk, but… I missed you."

"I missed you too," she offers back, but there's still so much between them, even if Robin had forgiven her for what she did, she still can feel something holding her back, telling her this is completely wrong and reckless, "I just need time to absorb everything."

"I understand, babe," he whispers, shifting to press his lips to her forehead on a quick peck, "But don't push me away again, please."

"I won't," she promises, and then she surprises him with a kiss on his lips, gently, but passionate, as Robin tightens his grip around her body, lets out a pleased groan when she runs her tongue over his upper lip. He grants her entrance gladly, their tongues moving together for a second before she pulls back, joining their foreheads together as she sighs, "Except now, you really have to go, so I can leave this couch and get ready to pick up the boys."

Robin chuckles at her and nods, puts more distance between them before she gets up so he can do the same.

###

How didn't she think about this earlier?

She had been distracted, and going through a hangover, and Robin hadn't helped when it comes to thinking clearly about their situation, so how would she remember that she was letting a client spend the night with her, how would she think clearly when she was running on alcohol and had agreed to give Robin a chance?

Shit.

And now the situation is a mess, and she has to tell Robin that _they_ _can't do this_.

She has been a lawyer long enough to know that they can't date their clients – she even knows the rules about maintaining objectivity, independent judgment and to avoid conflicts of interest – and even if she totally agrees with these, she also knows that Robin is not a regular client. He's the father of her son.

She waited so much time to see him again after she had left college, and then she met Daniel, and thought he could make her life better, and he did, but accidents happen and now she's back at the beginning, falling in love with Robin and being prevented from being with him a second time. She knew this would end badly when she saw his name on that paper. Had immediately the certainty that she wouldn't be able to set aside what happened between them eleven years ago.

Because she likes him. And is falling in love with him all over again.

She should've seen this coming before agreeing with him for a second chance to their relationship, because now she can't think about anything else, and as she sits in the kitchen, at the counter, sipping her coffee, she keeps telling herself that maybe Jefferson can help. He had been a lawyer too, so maybe he can give her a good advice, from a professional prospect and not as a friend (no matter how much that can hurt her). She knows that he's the right person to do that – he won't lie to her and telling her that everything will be alright if she chooses to be with Robin, so she actually needs this talk – and why is he taking so long to get here?

She missed Jefferson so much, missed that he would be here every time she needed something (it had been especially hard when Daniel died, but he had provided her support through the phone, had made sure to call her once a day, at least), and he's here now, and she couldn't be more grateful that he's actually here to help her with this, instead of having this conversation through the phone. Her life has been a mess since Robin showed up all of a sudden. She can't even understand if his return it's a good or a bad thing.

But that doesn't matter now, because she's already trapped in this situation, and had even agreed to give her son's father a second chance without thinking about the consequences. And now she's waiting for her friend, hoping he can tell her something more than ' _you really can't be together right now, it's against the legal ethics rules'_.

She's in the middle of finishing her coffee when she hears the doorbell echoing through the house, and she does her best to remain calm, swallows one of her medicines for the headache before running towards the foyer. But she's nervous, and anxious, wants to tell him everything before he can even get the chance to greet her. But she won't do that, because she won't rush into anything as she did with Robin.

"Hey, beautiful," Jefferson says, as he follows her into the house with a smile on his face. He looks good as always, a long black coat, a scarf around his neck, and… did he cut his hair?

She leads him towards the kitchen, decided to finish her coffee, and asks her friend if he would like one as well as he shakes his head, tells her, "I was worried about you, I saw your text, but you didn't look fine when I left you."

"I just had too many drinks," she assures – that's one of the reasons for her to feel sick last night, that, and the fact that Robin had shown up all of a sudden, but she will get there – so she continues, "I saw your text when I got home, I'm sorry I didn't answer."

Jefferson shakes her head at her words, dismissing, and takes a seat at the counter. She's really glad that he's here to keep her company (and that he didn't start questioning her as soon as he walked into her house), but she can't decide if the silence is even worse, because it keeps making her think about the whole situation. And it's torture. She pours another coffee for herself, since she let the previous one get cold, and occupies the bench beside her friend, taking a sip of her drink.

"I figured you would be tired," Jefferson says, turning to face her and offering her a genuine smile, "How are you feeling?"

"My head is throbbing, but I'm fine, I guess."

"That's what a hangover is," he teases, "Did you have any breakfast today?"

"I'm having coffee," she answers, showing him her mug to prove her point, and taking a sip of her beverage as he shakes his head and stands, "I don't think my stomach will handle any food right now."

But Jefferson won't have any of that, walks towards the toaster, addressing her with, "Where's the bread?" before she points towards a box over the counter. She should know already that he wouldn't let her leave without having a proper breakfast, and she can handle some toasts, she supposes, "So, do you want to tell me what happened last night?"

She chuckles at his words, because she was already expecting that question, and keeps watching him as he puts the bread in the toaster, asks, "What do you want to know?" just to receive a frown from her friend, "Alright, if you're asking if I slept with Robin… I didn't. He brought me home, and we talked, we shared a few kisses, but nothing more."

She doesn't know how she's being able to remain so calm, but she's glad for that. It helps to think clearly, and she really needs that Jefferson understands this situation so he can help her the best he can. So right now, she just receives a surprised look from her friend, who keeps waiting for her to continue, "I really don't know what happened after that, I just know that he woke up beside me on the couch, and before you start saying something, no, I was on my dress from last night, so I'm pretty sure nothing happened."

He nods at her words, checks on the meal he's cooking for her, and keeps listening, "You already know our story, so you know this situation is far from easy on its own, but… I care about him and I stupidly agreed to give this a chance."

"Is that bad?" he finally breaks the silence, and she raises her brows in response. _Is he kidding?_ "Why do you think stupid to give him a chance if you like him?"

Regina scoffs, and thinks about the fact that Robin is her client. They didn't remember this at first, and she knew she was right when she told him they shouldn't talk when she wasn't feeling well, unable to think straight. At least, she told him they need to talk about everything again, which can make things better, or totally worse if he doesn't see her point. But it's Roland's custody that it's at risk.

Marian can use this against them in court if she finds out, and she doesn't even know what can happen to her job. She's so sorry that she let things get to this point, when it will be even more difficult for them to keep things separate, but they _have_ to.

So she starts with a, "Because…" and just telling him, "This is wrong."

"Why?" Jefferson asks, "Regina, why are you fighting this?"

He can't really understand, can't he? She shifts her gaze towards the mug in her hands, her palms wrapping around the cup and shifting it in her grasp. She's fighting this because she can't have a relationship with a client. Because that would break any rules that claim that she has to avoid everything that would cause a conflict of interests. So there's no point to give Robin a second chance.

"I'm falling in love for a client, and that's wrong."

"Oh," Jefferson says, leaning towards Regina. She lets out a heavy exhale before he continues, "I didn't think about that."

Clearly.

"I know," she offers him, burying her face in her hands, "I should've known when I saw his name, when I met him the first time, because I immediately felt something in that moment. I thought I could do this, that I could help him with his case, but it's clear that I can't, and now he can lose Roland…" she thinks about the boy, of him playing with Henry at his birthday party, while she was more concerned about letting Robin kiss away her worries about her mother. He definitely didn't disappoint.

She clears her throat, continues, "His ex-wife wants to push him away from their son, and I'm afraid she will do that if she finds out. He would lose another son because of me, I can't let that happen. I met Roland and he's the sweetest boy ever, and it's clear he loves Robin," more than clear. Those two together are what she always wanted for her sons.

"So I want to help him, and keep him in Henry's life, because they are so close already, but what if this spoils everything?" there's a chance of that happening. She's fidgeting with the mug again as she says, "I like him, and now I know he likes me too, but I can't ask him to choose me over his son, I _won't,_ and I should've said no when he asked for a second chance," she curses herself one more time for that, for being stupid and put her interests ahead of their kids'. She finally turns to face her friend, takes a sip of her drink, and finishes, "So now I know I have to talk to him."

Jefferson remains quiet, just listening, and it had been good, but now she needs him to say something, to give his opinion or just telling her he understood the extent of the problem.

"God, Regina, I… I wish I could help," he tells her, and she gives her a small, but grateful, smile.

"You're listening to me, so you're already helping," she offers, "I guess I know what I have to do, I just hoped that… you would tell me that this is still possible, that we can be together and win Roland's custody, but I know that can't happen."

"I don't know if it's impossible, but," Jefferson says, "The safest option is to wait."

"I know," Regina agrees, grasping her mug, the glass warm from the hot beverage inside. Jefferson shifts on his seat, brings his bench closer to her and runs his hand up and down her back before wrapping an arm around her shoulders. She sighs at the contact, and turns to face him as she says, "We already tried to keep some distance, but as you can imagine, that didn't work very well for us – it ended up with him following me towards the bar last night."

"I thought he would kill me when he saw us together."

His words put a smile on her face, the corners of her lips tilting up when she explains, "He thought we were on a date. But now he knows you're my best friend, so I'm confident that will keep you safe."

Jefferson smirks at that, his teeth trapping his lower lip as he teases, "Why am I not feeling safer, then?"

"Anyway, the point is, he's my client, I can't have a relationship with him," she reminds them of the topic of the conversation, because she can't get lost thinking about Robin, or about the fact that he was pretty jealous about seeing her with Jefferson at the bar, "We can't be a normal couple. Marian would find out," she finds herself wondering why she can't be a decent person and reach an agreement with Robin about Roland's custody, why they have to go to court to decide who should watch the boy, "Marian would use this against him and would win, and my job would be put at risk too."

Jefferson just nods at that, frowning, and then he asks, "Do you think his ex-wife would do that?"

It's not like she's certain of that, but she doesn't want to risk, and she certainly doesn't need more questions wandering inside her head, making her even more confused about this whole thing, because, what if Marian wouldn't use this against them? What if she would understand? It's too much to leave in the hands of the woman who is trying to keep Robin away from his son.

Regina sighs, takes another sip of her drink and confesses, "I don't know, but-"

"But you don't want to push your luck."

"Yes," the word is out of her mouth before she can think about it, and it's the truth. She can't be certain that Marian would do it, but it's still dangerous. Just the thought of it has her sick to her stomach, as she tells him, "Just the possibility that she can do it is enough for me to know that this is wrong. So I'll talk to him."

"It seems to me that it's the right thing to do, he has the right to have a say in this too," he points out, and she knows he's right, but it's a bit pointless. What would he do unless to remain away from her? He doesn't have another choice.

"He'll agree with me," Regina tells him, "He has to. He knows his ex-wife better than me, and he won't want to put my job at risk too. He'll protect me, and Roland," she sighs, and takes another sip of her coffee, "He'll do the right thing."

"This won't last forever, you know," Jefferson offers, and for a moment she seems confused, not really knowing what he's talking about, but quickly she comes to the conclusion that he's talking about Robin's case, that it will have to be closed eventually and then they will be free to be together if they want to, "It's only a matter of months now."

"Lovely."

"You wanted my opinion, and I really think that it's your best option right now," he says, and she knows that too, even if it's hard for her to admit it. But she nods her head, as he adds, "And I'm really happy that you found someone worthy of your love again."

She should never have let him escape at first. She could have had this since the beginning. She was the one who spoiled everything.

So she answers him with a, "You'll find someone too," in an attempt to lighten the mood. It almost seems they had been cursed when it comes to their love life.

Jefferson clears his throat, teasing, "Actually…"

"What?" she widens her eyes, "Who is she?"

Jefferson met someone? After all this time grieving the loss of his wife, did he really meet someone? She would be totally happy for him, so she smiles, a smile that immediately falls from her lips when he says, "I think we should be going."

"Jefferson, tell me, do I know her?" Regina asks, trying to understand who is this mysterious woman, that he's so keen to keep a secret from his best friend. Jefferson would never keep something from her, is this something bad? Well, he started, so now he's going to finish it. He can't say something like this and expect her to forget it, now she wants to know.

"Yes," he sighs, "It's Ruby."

"Ruby?" Regina asks, and Jefferson nods his head, shyly, "I told you-"

"Regina, I thought I missed my chance to be happy when I lost Grace's mother, but now…" Jefferson sighs, "Now it's like I have a second chance. You better than anybody should understand this."

"I do, but-"

"And I was hoping you could watch Grace tomorrow night? I want to take her out for dinner, please," Regina can see the sparkle in his eyes, the genuine happiness on his features. God, he's really attracted to the girl, to submit himself to what is yet to come when it's time for him and his daughter to leave. It's beautiful and painful at the same time. He could just spare them both from this mess. What is the point of a date if they can't be together? How will they keep a long-distance relationship if it happens?

"Alright," she sighs, standing from her seat and carrying her mug towards the sink, "But promise me, nor Ruby, nor you, will get hurt by this."

"I promise, thank you, I'll be here at six."

She offers him a genuine smile, because she's really happy for him, she just hopes this won't be a mess.

###

She shouldn't be here.

She had taken the day off to focus on herself, to pick up some groceries for dinner while Jefferson keeps the kids occupied during the afternoon, so she definitely shouldn't be taking the elevator to Robin's office. What if he's not even working today? He hadn't mentioned anything about it, but why would he anyway? He doesn't have to explain anything to her, they are not even officially together, and by the way things are working for them, they won't be together anytime soon. So she promised she would talk to Robin as soon as possible, have the conversation they need and let him focus one hundred percent on his son's custody.

Because she's just consuming his time.

Shit, now she hopes he won't be working, the courage is leaving her with each step she takes through the corridors.

People stare at her as she walks by, whisper something between them and make Regina wonder if, for some reason, these people know more about her than just her name. Maybe they don't even know her name, maybe they know her history with Robin, but how that is even possible? She's just imagining things now.

So when she hears a voice calling her name from behind her, she freezes for a second, taking a deep breath because she knows whose voice is that.

She turns around to greet him properly, but he's right beside her in a second, with a puzzled look on his face, but a smile on his lips, "I didn't expect to find you here."

His words show her his surprise, but she can say he's not upset at all. _If only he knew…_ His eyes lock with hers for a moment, but he's still waiting for an answer, a reply, and she _is_ here for a reason, she supposes.

She gives a quick glance towards the woman at a desk behind him, to make sure they are not being heard, but they are, and she would like to have a bit more privacy to have this conversation, "I need to talk to you."

"Did something happen?"

It did. But it shouldn't. She had told him she would want to talk to him, would not think she would surprise him in his office, but well, things happen and she wants to get this over with as soon as possible.

"No, if this is a bad time, I can come back another time."

"No, I'm in the middle of my lunch break."

Of course, she would interrupt his lunch, she has the best timing ever, "I'm sorry."

His lips tilt up in a smile, genuine and warm as he shakes his head, assuring her that it's fine, "You can always keep me company."

Regina clears her throat, her hand moving to fix her hair as she tries to mask her discomfort. They are not alone, and she's about to crush his hopes for a good lunch. She couldn't feel worse right now, it's a lot different than how she was feeling in her house, lying in his arms, convinced that this would work. The reality is different, and he has to know from her before they blow everything up.

She's doing the right thing, she keeps telling herself that, but as she spends more time with him, she can't help but feel she's hurting him all over again. And that's the last thing she wants.

So she offers him a small smile, her hand gripping tightly the strap of her purse, as she tells him, "The boys are waiting for me, I can't really stay."

He doesn't protest, doesn't ask her any more questions, just nods his head and turns to the woman at the desk behind him. She feels his hand against her lower back, warm over her shirt, and his thumb moving in a soothing motion.

"Can you take any calls for me while I'm out?" Robin asks the woman, and she nods at his request. Well, she didn't intend to 'go out'… "Just give me a minute to collect my things and maybe we can grab some coffee?"

"I… I would prefer somewhere more private," she tells him, lowering her voice because she knows how this may sound to other people – she actually makes her best effort to ignore the raise of eyebrows his secretary throws at them.

But Robin knows her better, and by now, he already knows that she's not here to make out with him in his office – far from that – so he gives her waist a little squeeze and nods his head.

"My office?" he asks her, to which she tells him that's fine, "Come with me."

She watches as he gives the woman more instructions to not be disturbed while he's in his office – it's a good thing she's not planning to face this woman anytime soon – and then he's leading her through the empty hallway, the air between them thick with tension, her breathing a bit uneven.

He waits until he closes the door behind them, until she's standing in the middle of his office before he asks, "What do you want to talk about?"

"We can't do this, Robin."

Short and clear.

"This… between us… it can't happen."

"Why, babe?" he takes a step towards her, moves his hand to reach for hers, and he's glad when she doesn't try to pull back, "I thought we had discussed-"

"I told you we would have to talk about it."

She sees the disappointment in his gaze, and she can't handle this. She doesn't want to hurt him again. She gives his hand a little squeeze, closes a bit more the distance between them while Robin holds tightly to her. He's not upset, and thank god for that because she wouldn't know what to do if she lost him a second time.

"Why?"

"Because…" she starts to say, he has the right to know, "I had time to think about it and…" she locks her gaze with his then, presses her lips together, her brows furrowed, "I'm your lawyer."

"Oh," he breathes, more confused than hurt now, she thinks. He doesn't understand. She's here, telling him what stands between them, and he's not realizing the extent of the situation, "Do you think that can be a problem?"

She scoffs at that, can't help, and she shakes her head in annoyance, not at him, but at the whole situation they see themselves in. As he cups her face in his palms, she can't stop the tears from gathering in her eyes, can stop them from falling, but Robin sees her eyes watering and she just hates that she seems so vulnerable right now.

"I care so much about you Robin, and I don't want you to lose Roland because of this," she admits, her voice soft and sincere, as she tries to remain calm so they can have a proper conversation about this. He has to realize that this is a risk. That he can lose his son if they are reckless, and she would never, ever, risk Roland's custody (and her job) just for them to be together, "What if Marian finds out? She can use this against you in court."

She doesn't know his ex-wife that well, but she's a mother too, and mothers would do everything in their power to protect their kids or, in this case, to win the custody. And the fact that Robin remains in silent is all she needs to know that this is a possibility. So she moves her hands to grab his wrists, pulling his hands away from her face as she lets them fall between them, "If she used this, I would lose credibility, I'm not even sure what would happen to my job, but you would lose Roland, and that's something we can't risk."

She hates that she's backing him into a corner, and she can imagine that this situation is even worse for him. He can lose his son, after all. She doesn't think she could handle if that happened because they had chosen to give themselves a chance, because they had ignored the facts, so she's pretty decided to win this case for him. Make all this worth it.

"I hate that, even after our divorce, Marian manages to run my life," he tells her, "I told you I want to be with you and I mean it."

"I know," she assures, and he has a point in that, but that's not the only reason, this is about her job too, "But don't think about this that way. My job has rules that keep me from having a relationship with a client, so you're actually doing this for me too."

"I'm sorry I got you into this in the first place, Regina."

She shakes her head, assures him that this is her job, and he takes the moment to wrap his arm around her waist, pulling her closer, "I'm happy to be able to help you to get Roland's custody, and I'll win it for you, maybe this way I can make it up for what I did."

"I don't want to talk about that," he says, knowing she's talking about the fact that she kept him away from Henry for so long, "I wish you hadn't done it, but you're trying to make this work for everyone, and you're doing your best to help me with Roland, and right now, I can't really be mad at you, in fact, I…"

"I know," she interrupts, because she knows what he wants to say, and she's falling for him too, but right now, she can't handle to hear those words leaving his mouth, "But we can't. Roland is more important, my job is important too."

He nods, his brows furrowed as he mutters, "So… we wait?"

"Do you want to wait?"

"Yes," he answers, putting more distance between them in an attempt to look at her eyes. As she looks at his blue ones, she sees the hope in them, staring right back at her. How is she so lucky to deserve him? He cups her face once again, rubs his thumb against her skin and tells her, "When this is over nobody can stop us from being together."

She nods unconsciously, slowly, and he's so close to her, their noses almost touching, his warm breath reaching her lips. She doesn't want to let go. How will she keep a professional relationship with him?

She knows she's being selfish, knows this will just hurt them even more, but that doesn't stop her from reaching for him, gripping the collar of his shirt and joining their lips together in a last kiss. Last for a while. It's passionate, and desperate, and his hands move up and down her back, while he moves her a few steps back, until the edge of his desk is pressed against her lower back. And then they just keep with what they are doing, deepening the kiss, and moaning when she welcomes him into her mouth.

She shouldn't have started this.

It's not doing any good, not doing anything to make the thought of leaving him more bearable. And he's not helping either, lifts her to sit her on his desk and steps between her legs until he's pressed against her body, one of his hands running up the side of her leg.

She sighs heavily at his touch and moves her arms to wrap around his neck, burying her hands in his hair and pulling him closer to her, and she will tell him to stop as soon as possible, as soon as she decides that after she stops, she will leave this office. So, for now, she just lets him suck her lower lip, and then moves her tongue in sync with his one more time, memorizing his taste and how the touch of his hand on her thigh makes her shiver.

Because it will be just her and her memories for a while. Until his case is closed.

She had already lost count of the number of times she had thought she would be able to resist Robin, and she had failed every time, but now, there's too much at risk, and she can't afford to fail again. She has to make the most of it right now, has to memorize everything about him while he kisses her in his office, and she's sure as hell, she won't stop him until they are both satisfied. Of course, she won't have sex with him, but she can afford a few kisses.

Unless he tells her to stop, something she doesn't believe will happen soon since he seems pretty much happy to spread kisses along the skin of her neck, up to her ear, making her sigh at his caresses as he traces his tongue over her pulse point.

"Robin…" she breathes, his hand on her leg moving to grip her waist, her hands returning to the collar of his shirt. She pulls him closer to her – as much as she can – and her leg wraps around his, her ankle secured around his calf. They are in his office, so they really shouldn't be kissing like this, with the slightest chance of someone walking in on them and ruin everything they are trying to save.

She remembers why she's here to begin with, and what can happen if someone sees them in this state, so she breaks their kiss with a quick peck, tells him, "I'm sorry, we shouldn't…"

"I know, I have to let you go."

"Somebody can walk in," she points out, letting go of his shirt and unwrapping her leg from around his, "And we're trying to avoid just that, people knowing about this."

He nods his head at that, tucks a piece of her hair behind her ear, "I thought I had been pretty clear about not being disturbed while I'm here with you, and I need to have my time to let you go."

He knows how to convince her, and he's right, she supposes. So she offers him a genuine smile before he presses his lips against hers one more time, slowly and gently while they take their time to let go of each other – just as he had told her.

But the kiss can't last forever, and they have to pull back for air eventually.

Robin pecks her lips a last time, kisses her cheek, and then bumps his nose with hers lightly, preparing them for what he knows is coming.

"I really have to go," she tells him.

She feels him nod without putting any distance between them, but none of them seem willing to move, too comfortable in each other's arms to think about leaving - the only evidence that this moment is about to finish is the low voice of Robin as he says, "And maybe I should think about eating something in what's left of my lunch break."

Regina giggles, and pulls back a little, looking at his eyes. But, yes, he really should eat.

"I'm sorry for ruining your lunch," she replies, feeling really guilty for taking up so much of his time.

"For all I know, you just made it better," he teases, "Well, as far as possible."

###

On Monday afternoon, she tries to focus her attention on the kids, and less on the conversation she had with Robin.

Well, not really on the conversation, but on what followed their talk, on the kisses they shared in his office, his body pressed against her as he cherished her neck… Not to mention how he had told her he would gladly wait for her.

She doesn't deserve all this attention…

But Robin had told her he would, and she will wait for him too.

Because she can't stop thinking about how it will be when his case it's closed, and how will their relationship develop thereafter. She can't have this right now, but she can think about it, right? Because he told her he would wait for her… She can't get those words out of her mind, his voice keeps playing in her head, and it's pleasant and painful at the same time. Maybe she should focus on the present and wait for the future when it's time for it.

She has something more important to worry about right now, and that would be to win Robin's son's custody for him.

"Mom!" Henry interrupts her thoughts as he walks into the kitchen, handing her the phone and running upstairs the second after. It's Emma's name on the caller ID, and she thinks that she can't do this right now, she will want to talk about Robin and she doesn't want to talk about him when her – their – son is around. But she places the phone against her ear in the same, because she's her friend, but will just tell her to call her later, tomorrow, maybe, so they can have a proper conversation.

"Hi, Emma," she greets, placing the dishtowel on the table and leaning against the counter.

"Hi, Regina, I'm just calling to check on you," the blonde replies, and Regina rolls her eyes, knowing better than to believe this is just for her friend to 'check on her', "Henry told me you are busy with dinner, but do you have time for me?"

Regina's lips tilt up in a smile, in a knowing smirk, as she knows what her friend is trying to do. At least, Henry is entertained with his friend, and it's still early for dinner, so she can spare a few minutes for Emma, she supposes.

"It depends…" Regina teases – she deserves it, because it's because of her that she's in this situation (well, kind of) – glancing at the door to check if Henry is really upstairs and there's no chance for him to overhear their conversation, "Are you calling to know how did it go with Robin after you had sent him after me Saturday night?"

She smiles at the silence with she's met on the other side of the line, waits to hear something from her friend. How did she believe that she wouldn't find out?

"Regina, I'm sorry," she starts, "He really wanted to clear everything with you, I was trying to help."

"It's okay, but, next time, don't do it," Regina scolds mildly. She peeks into the oven to check on their dinner, as Emma continues on the other side.

"It was that so terrible?"

"Not really, just… you know he's my client, and we can't be together right now, but we talked… and we'll wait," Regina explains, sighing in defeat. It's actually good to talk about this with someone else. Someone that is not Robin, and can see the situation from outside.

"Oh… that's good right?"

"Yes, Emma, it's good," Regina rolls her eyes in amusement, her back hitting the countertop once again, her eyes never leaving the door to make sure the kids are still focused on their games. She can admit that this is not the worst thing that could've happened to them, Robin agreed to wait, and that's a good thing.

"So, I'm glad I could help," Emma replies, making Regina actually laugh at that.

"Don't even think about doing something like this again, we're both adults, we can deal with our problems," she warns her, and maybe she's being a little ungrateful, but she can't have Emma thinking she can snoop her nose into Regina's life whenever she feels like she can help.

Emma sounds completely genuine as she says, "Deal."

And then Regina smiles, adds, "But thank you, anyway," right before the alarm of the oven starts to echo through the room, "Now, I have to go back to my dinner, goodbye Miss Swan."

Emma laughs as she hangs up the phone, and Regina promises herself that she will talk to her later, let her know about every detail that her idea to send Robin after her had caused.

###

He doesn't know why he'd picked this coffee shop to spend his late afternoon, above all the places he could've chosen. Or better, he knows, but he doesn't really want to believe he had been this fool to choose this particular place, just because he knows she uses to come here, so he might be lucky enough to actually get to see _her_.

God, what was he thinking? What if she really appears all of a sudden and sees him sitting here, sipping on his coffee and looking like he was really waiting the moment she would come in by the front door?

He covers his face with his hands in despair, takes a deep breath, and tries to act like any other rational person spending their time in that cafe. This is a public space, so he can be here if he bloody wants to, and nobody knows (except himself) that the first name that came to his mind when he thought about this place was Regina's. It has him cursing himself for letting his life revolve around her, especially after the talk they had just this afternoon. They have to keep making their lives as they used to, can't stop everything and just wait for the moment they can be together, but that's easier said than done, because he'd rather share the end of a working day with her than with an image he has in his mind.

But that wouldn't last long anyway, because when he's just finishing his coffee, his phone placed beside him on the table echoes through the café, Marian's name popping up on the screen.

"Hello?"

"Hi, Robin," he hears her voice on the other side of the line, making him sigh inaudible and wonder the reason for this unexpected call, "Would you like to have Roland today?"

The question has Robin's expression changing into a frown, even if all he needs right now is having his boy to keep him company, "Yes. Yes, I can have him," he hears a sigh that appears to be of relief on the other end, and he suddenly gets nervous about her change of mind about him. There's something wrong? This is not his day with Roland and Marian doesn't usually offers him more time with the boy. Most of the time she wants to do exactly the opposite, taking away the time they had agreed for Roland to be with his father. But now he has to take advantage of the opportunity she's giving him, even if he's pretty sure this is not something of good will, "There's something wrong with him?"

"No! No, he's fine, I was just worried I had called on short notice. Something came up and I don't know if I'll be home in time for his bedtime."

Of course, she _needs_ him to watch him. How would he think Marian was just trying to be nice?

He shakes his head at that, stands from his seat at the table and walks towards the counter to pay for his tab. At least, he'll get to see his son, but he can't say it doesn't drive him mad when she does these things.

"Alright, I'll pick him up now, it's that okay?"

"Yes, thank you, Robin, and… I'm sorry."

"Will I still have him tomorrow?" he asks, because he never knows with Marian and she might want to change the days instead of giving him one more this week. He wouldn't be surprised.

He thanks to the girl on the other side of the counter before walking towards his car, closing the door behind him and letting out a long breath.

"Yes, yes, you will have him," well, that's new. He just hopes it won't come with something bad attached to it. She's being too nice, more than has ever been in the time they had been fighting about Roland's custody, "And I was thinking… maybe you can meet Keith when you arrive to pick up Roland."

Now? Meet her boyfriend today? He knew this was too good to be true, what was he expecting? But it had been him to tell her he wants to meet the guy, he supposes. He can do that today. He might just turn out to be a good person, maybe it will make Robin feel better about the thought of another man spending time with his son.

Marian is waiting for an answer, he remembers, so he replies with a, "I'll be there in half an hour," before saying their goodbyes and hanging up the phone, focusing his attention on starting the car. He lets his worries vanish from his mind as the sound of the radio echoes through the vehicle, allowing him to focus on something other than the man he's about to meet in a few minutes. It'll be fine. Marian wouldn't let a tosser get close to their son, right?

* * *

 **Hi, guys! First of all, I want to apologize for taking so long to post a new chapter, but for some reason, this one was giving me trouble, I had to rewrite it a couple of times and I still think it's not perfect, but I had to post it, otherwise I wouldn't do it anytime soon and I wanted to give you an update.**

 **So, I hope you liked it anyway, tell me what you thought, and I hope I can update more often from now on.**

 **Thank you for sticking with me!**


	18. Chapter 18

Chapter 18.

He doesn't see the man as soon as he gets to Marian's house, but he does spot his car parked on the driveway, Roland's car seat safely secured in the back seat of the SUV. Or maybe he has children of his own? Roland didn't mention any child.

Marian had told him he was helping the boy packing the last things, something that caused Robin to feel a wave of jealousy and guilt at the same time. He seems nice for Roland, and Robin is just trying to pick on some flaw, even if it's not really his business to judge Marian's boyfriend as long as he is respectful to his son. And he seems to be.

So he accepts her offer when she welcomes him further into her house, follows her into the living room, and takes a seat on the couch beside the brunette.

It's a little awkward, to say the least, but she's trying to be nice, so he just has to do the same, he supposes. He lets his eyes roam through the room, he doesn't think he had paid any attention the last times he saw himself in her house, but it's actually welcoming, full of Roland's pictures on the walls.

He's welcome for that. Because this way he can focus his attention on the little boy - is actually doing that when Marian's voice reaches his ears, telling him, "I was hoping we could talk while you wait for him."

Now? When he's trying to gather his energy to meet the man who will also play the role of a father for his son? She couldn't have a better timing. But he has nothing better to do while he waits, he supposes, and maybe it can be a welcoming distraction. _Maybe._

So he nods, tells her, "That's alright," and shifts his position to give her some room beside him on the couch, trying to keep to himself how awkward it is to be having a conversation with his ex-wife in her own house, while her new boyfriend is helping _his_ son to pack some things to take to his father's house, "So what do you want to talk about?"

"Is about Keith, he…" she meets his gaze with hers, struggling with her words, and why does it seem that she will drop another bomb on him? "He proposed, and I… said yes."

Well, he definitely wasn't expecting this news, especially when she's seeing this man about… what? A few months at most. Is she really considering marrying him? Not that he has any right to give her his opinion about this – she's just letting him know because he's the father of her child, he supposes – but he can't help but think that she's rushing things.

"Did you talk to Roland about it?"

"He doesn't really understand, Robin," she dismisses, but no, that's wrong, he's a child, but she has to have some sort of conversation with the boy, "He knows he's my boyfriend, or something close to that, at least, but I don't think he'll understand if I tell him that I'm engaged," Robin frowns at that, and Marian seems to notice, "I understand why you're asking, but… he'll understand, in time."

This doesn't seem right, he thinks, and he's not comfortable with the prospect of his son being taken by surprise. He's already in the middle of a battle for his custody, and they had been doing the best they can to keep the problems away from the boy, so it doesn't seem fair to throw any more surprises and changes at him.

"I'm not asking you to tell him you're engaged," Robin explains as she looks at him with a puzzled look on her face, "I'm asking you to try to explain to him what will change, I mean, I really don't want to mess with your life, but, whether you like it or not, this will affect Roland."

"I just told you this because I wanted you to hear it from me, not for you to lecture me," Marian protests, and he knows this, but she's not being reasonable. And Roland is his son, how was she expecting him to ignore this part of the situation?

"I know, and I appreciate it," he replies, ignoring her expression when he continues, "But I'm his father, so I couldn't help but give you my opinion about what I think it's best for our son."

"Are you telling me I don't know what's best for Rolan-"

"Babe, I can't find Roland's stuffed monkey."

He watches as Marian jumps in her seat, turning quickly to see her boyfriend - no, fiancé - standing at the door, her back for Robin now that she's facing the other man. He can't see her expression, but he can tell, by her reaction when they were interrupted, that she wasn't expecting him to show up so soon.

The man keeps staring at them from where he stands, and there's something about him… something that makes Robin wonder if he had seen that face before.

"Oh, hi," he greets, walking towards them, "Keith."

"Robin," he shakes the man's hand, although his mind seems decided to figure out from where he knows this guy, "Congratulations, on your engagement."

He wraps his arm around Marian's waist then, and answers Robin with a smile, before he shifts his gaze towards his fiancée, his blue eyes locked with hers. And then it clicks. Blue eyes, looking at a woman as if she's something he possesses, not really realizing how she seems uneasy with the situation – probably because Marian is still uncomfortable to show any level of intimacy in front of her ex-husband – but the point is, he witnessed a situation like this before, and he remembers Regina being the one looking uncomfortable, trying to get out of the same man's grip on the bar, Saturday night.

Shit.

"Thank you, it was about time."

Robin seems confused for a second, and then remembers what they were talking about, so he puts the best smile he can on his lips, before glancing towards the hallway in an attempt to spot his son, "Maybe I should check on Roland and leave you with your plans for tonight."

It's impossible. He doesn't recognize Robin, that's for sure, but well, how would he when he was visibly drunk that night?

He wonders if he even remembers Regina, if he has any memory of himself hitting on her when he was clearly in a relationship with Marian. Now, Robin doesn't even know what to do, should he tell her everything? Not that he thinks she would believe in him, if she seems so smitten with this guy.

"I packed his things, I just can't find the bloody monkey," Keith tells him, interrupting Robin's thoughts. No, he definitely won't tell her, not tonight, at least. She seems… happy, and he seems a decent person, maybe something happened that night? "Maybe do you know where it is, love?"

Marian shakes her head, leaves his embrace to what Robin believes, make the situation less awkward.

"It's fine, he has plenty of toys at home."

"But I want the monkey," Roland whines from the doorway, but bless his son for appearing right now, because Robin doesn't think he can handle to stay here any longer.

Roland sniffles and walks towards his father, and Robin picks him up in his arms, caresses the brown curls of his hair before kissing his cheek, "Hey, little man, you don't need the monkey, you have your griffin, remember?"

That seems to soothe him a little, has the boy nodding before placing his head on Robin's shoulder, "We should go."

"He still needs to have dinner," Marian remembers, and, "He needs a bath," but Roland is halfway dozing off in his shoulder, and who can blame him if Robin decides to skip the bath time for today?

###

It seems that skip the bath time and put Roland to sleep after a quick dinner didn't do any good when it comes to having a few more hours of rest in the morning.

His son had awakened just a bit after seven, and had been full of energy to spend the day with his dad, claiming that he wasn't tired anymore when Robin tried to convince him for a few more minutes of sleep. So Robin had walked to the kitchen to cook them some breakfast, wondering what he should do with his son for their day together.

Roland had asked him if they could spend it with Henry as well, go to the zoo, or just get some fresh air in the park, but then Robin's phone had buzzed beside him on the table, Neal's words popping up on the screen, inviting him to spend the day with some beers and a baseball game.

But he has Roland today, so he told his friend just that, to which Neal assured him he could get another ticket if Robin was willing to take his son to see his first match. And then his thoughts had returned to his older son, who Robin is sure had probably had his opportunity to see a baseball game, but he wouldn't mind to take him as well, it wouldn't be his first match, but it would be the first with his father. And Robin couldn't love more the idea.

So he had asked Neal if he could get two more tickets, right before he changed the name of the receiver, texting Regina: _Would you mind if I took Henry to a baseball match today? I have Roland, and he's pretty insistent that he won't watch his first game without his older brother ;)_

He received Neal's text first, assuring that he would get the tickets without a problem, so he focuses his attention on Regina's, which comes a few minutes later, when Robin is halfway through his bowl of cereals.

 _That's great, I guess Henry will be happy to know he's not the only one who never watched a live baseball game._

Well, that's new information. He had thought Regina's late fiancé had taken Henry to watch a baseball match, but he's happy to know he'll be the one who will take his son for his first game. Nevertheless, he teases: _Roland is four, babe, how come our eleven-year-old never watched a proper match?_

When his phone buzzes once again, he sees Regina's photo covering his screen, and Robin can't help but wonder if he had crossed the line. Maybe he should avoid topics of conversation that take them to her late fiancé, maybe he should be glad that she is letting him take Henry with them and shut his big mouth, "I'm sorry, Regina, I didn't want-"

"Daniel never was one for sports, not that sport anyway," her voice is calm, soft as she speaks, "He liked to ride, and he used to take Henry with him, but he never took him to a baseball game, so I'm glad he can have that experience with you."

"I'm sorry, Regina, I was just…" he sighs, pulling Roland into his lap when the little boy's eyes widen at the sound of her name, "Forget it, I'm an asshole, I'm just happy that I can take him with us."

"It's fine," she assures, scolding, "And don't swear in front of your son."

"Who said anything about my son being here?" he teases, because he can't help but feel this relaxed when talking to her, so he places his finger in front of his lips, silently asking Roland to be quiet.

"But, papa, I'm here," he rolls his eyes in amusement at his son's innocence, his smile widening when he hears Regina's laugh on the other side of the line.

"And maybe you should try and not lie in front of your son as well."

At least, that had been able to lighten the mood a bit.

Everything is easier when their kids are around, so he pulls Roland closer to him, tells him that he was only messing with Regina, before she starts one more time, "So, what time is that game that has you texting me at eight in the morning?"

"The game is in the afternoon, but I put Roland to sleep earlier last night and I think that ruined my chances to sleep a bit more this morning. What about you?"

What is her excuse to be up this early in the morning – 07:48, to be more precise. Maybe he should have waited a little bit more before sending her the text. But he was anxious to know her answer, and Roland would never rest until he had the confirmation that Henry would spend the day with them.

"I'm getting ready for work, but the boys are still asleep. I have Jefferson arriving shortly to watch them, I will make sure to let him know you'll stop by to pick up Henry."

"Oh, do you want me to take Dylan with us as well? I didn't remember you were probably working today," he tells her, because it's August, and most of the people are on vacation.

"No, it's fine," she assures, "I'm not sure you would be able to watch the game when you would have to keep a two-year-old entertained the whole time."

"I'm pretty sure we would manage," he offers one more time, because it's not like he can't take care of her younger son while she has to work, and now it even seems a bit selfish to invite Henry without taking his younger brother as well, "You're the boss, if you change your mind just let me know."

He hears her little giggle over the line, maybe at the way he'd told her she's the boss, and he can't help but smirk, because he's picturing her just doing the same, and he already misses that smile.

But she doesn't change her mind, tells him, "No, it's okay, go bond with your sons, I promised Jefferson I would take some time to lunch with them, so maybe I will bond with my younger son as well."

"If you're sure."

He doesn't want to push her, it almost seems as if he wants to spend time with her sons because he likes her, but he's sure she knows that's not true, that he genuinely likes to spend time with the boys.

"Thank you, for thinking of Henry," she interrupts his thoughts.

"It's no problem, love, I want to be a part of his life."

"I know," she tells him, a sincere tone in her voice, "And you can take him to spend the day with you whenever you want to."

He smiles at her words, and he's glad to know that she's starting to trust him more and more when it comes to the boy. It feels good to know that he's closer to playing the role of a father in Henry's life. He's about to take him to his first baseball game, and soon will be driving him to school when he starts to spend some nights at his house. He knows Regina had told him she's not ready for that, yet, but she will be, and until then, he just has to do everything he can to make her comfortable about it.

So he thanks her for her words, tells her, "I love that kid, and I love when I can spend time with my sons," before he places Roland back on the ground, carries his bowl towards the sink as he whispers, "I just look forward to being able to bring you with us."

There's another silence when she doesn't answer him, but she's quick to recover, confesses, "You know I look forward to that too," and he lets out a breath of relief, because he was already wondering if he had crossed the line once again, "I truly hope you two have a great day today."

"So, I'll pick him up before lunch, how's that? So Jefferson has time enough to meet you for lunch."

"That's perfect, I'll let him know."

###

Henry is ready to go by the time Robin arrives Regina's house to pick him up, opening the front door with his big smile, with Jefferson following right behind, "Hey, guys!"

"Hi, Henry!" Roland greets with a smile of his own, entering further into the foyer and yelling, "We're going to see a baseball game!" and making everyone around him laugh.

"That we are, my boy, but you don't need to yell," Robin scolds mildly.

Henry seems as excited as his young brother, asking Roland if he had seen a game on tv, and trying to explain him the rules. This will definitely be fun, and Robin can't just wait to share this day with his two boys.

"I was thinking we could grab some lunch first," he tells them, "And then we can head to the game."

"As long as I can have one of those hot dogs."

"Yeah, papa, I want a hot dog!"

"We can do that…" Robin agrees, because what is a baseball game without a hot dog? He focuses on Henry then, noticing he's still barefoot, so he asks him to go and grab his shoes, leaving him alone with Jefferson in the foyer, "So, I want to apologize for Saturday."

It's the least he can do, he supposes. He had interrupted their night and had been pretty unpleasant if he can say so, but he can spot the smile on Regina's friend's lips as he shakes his head, assuring him that it was no problem, "I want to apologize as well, I was trying to protect her."

Robin tells him that it's understandable, that he would do the same for her and that the fact that he showed up without letting her know probably didn't help either. But he really needed to talk to her that night, couldn't bear another day without clear things with her, so he doesn't really regret his decision. They had made some progress, even if they can't be together right now, it's almost enough for Robin to know that one day they will.

Henry and Roland are back a few minutes later, wearing his shoes and a big smile on their faces, and Robin silently thanks Neal for getting him these tickets for today.

###

On Tuesday afternoon, Regina is able to take some time to lunch with Jefferson and Dylan, telling herself she did a good job of focusing on her work after knowing Henry would spend the day with Robin. She had promised herself she would just ask for news when Henry arrived at the end of the day, so until then, she had just focused all her energy on the paperwork. Paperwork about Robin and his son, as if wasn't enough that he occupies her thoughts most of the day.

"Regina," Jefferson's voice echoes through the room, pushing her away from her thoughts and drawing her attention back to the conversation at hand, "Are you listening to me?"

She grimaces, feels the heat spreading on her cheeks as she admits, "I'm sorry, I was lost in my thoughts."

"Clearly," Jefferson tells her in a teasing tone and a smirk on his lips, already knowing what's going on in her mind. He knows she's thinking about Robin, she always is, and it's not like she can hide it from her best friend. She has that dreamy look on her face, her lips unconsciously tilting up in a smile once in a while, "You're thinking about him," he points out, and Regina clears her throat, shifts Dylan in her lap to bring him closer to her. It gives her some comfort, something to do as she reaches for the boy's lunch to help him with his meal. She knows she can't run forever, she doesn't even want to run from her best friend, but she feels guilty for not paying him the attention he deserves, "Do you want to talk about it?"

She shakes her head, gives Dylan a spoonful of his lunch as she tells him, "No, I want to hear about your date."

"You didn't seem that interested a few minutes ago," he teases, because he's not upset, she knows he isn't, and says, "C'mon, tell me about your talk with Robin and then I'll tell you about my date."

Regina sighs – she knows he won't give up now – so she nods her head, tells him what she's sure he was already expecting, "We agreed to wait. After all, it's all we can do right now."

"That's a good thing," he offers, and she actually agrees with that. What can she say? He already knows the whole story, there's nothing more she can say right now. She should give him her whole attention now, and she actually wants to know how it was his date.

He tells her about Robin's apologies that morning first, and she melts a little at that, at how he made a point of apologizing to _her_ friend, even if he didn't really need to. She will thank him, because he did a good thing, and because she feels she should, since he's making an effort to be a part of her life, to get to know her friends.

Her phone buzzes a few moments later, with a message from Robin (who else could it be?), but she opens it to find a photo of his two sons, showing off the hot dogs Robin had no doubt bought them for lunch.

She smiles, turning her phone towards Jefferson for him to see before typing a quick reply to the blue-eyed man: _Any chance you could feed the boys with something more than fast food?_

His ' _We're in a baseball match, babe, it's part of the tradition',_ comes not even a minute later, so she takes the chance to tell him she will let them get back to their lunch, because she really needs to pay some attention to Jefferson.

"Alright, I told you about Robin, now tell me, how was your date?"

She's pretty decided to hear her friend this time, kisses her son's temple and sits him on the chair beside her with clear instructions to not touch the paperwork as she hands him a paper and some crayons for him to be entertained.

"It was great, actually, and today Ruby offered to spend some time with Grace, see how they get along."

"I'm so happy for you," Regina tells him, offering him a genuine smile. She has to admit that she was slightly worried about this date. Jefferson has to return to his life in a couple of days, and from what she knows of Ruby, she can say the girl is not one for long-distance relationships, "Did you discuss what you will do when you have to leave?"

"We didn't really discuss that…" Jefferson admits, his tone a mixture of enthusiasm and doubt when he explains, "But I'm thinking about asking to be transferred back here."

"Jeff, are you really ready for that? To get back," she asks as she leans back against her chair. That prospect has her both excited and concerned. She would be more than happy to have her best friend as part of her team once again, but is he really ready for it? Jefferson just shrugs at her question, his eyes focused on his meal.

"I think so, I mean, it was two years ago."

His wife's death.

"And this with Ruby… this helps. She's younger, and we are different, but this can work," Jefferson continues, and Regina notices the slightest sign of a smile on his face.

"It's your decision to make, I'm happy to have you as a coworker again, if you really decide to come back,"

"Me too," he tells her, because it's the truth, even if it's still a decision he has to make. But then he turns his attention to the baby beside Regina, and the good mood is back in the room as he asks, "So, what should I do with this little guy for the afternoon?"

###

 _I will let you get back to your lunch, then, see you later._

It's the last text Robin receives before he turns to his younger son to find his shirt covered in ketchup, the sauce falling from the hot dog and staining the little boy's shirt.

Well, it's his fault for getting distracted for a while, he supposes.

"Roland, did you look at your shirt?" Robin asks, gesturing towards his son's clothes.

The boy frowns for a moment, confused, then looks down just in time for Neal's voice to reach their ears, teasing, "Maybe you could ask your papa to buy you a shirt from the gift shop."

"Maybe you could ask your uncle Neal to offer you one, instead."

"Yes! Papa, can I have one? Please!"

"What about you Henry?" the older boy shifts his attention to his father, frowning as he waits for Robin to explain, "Do you fancy a trip to the gift shop?"

He lets the boys finish their hot dogs first, at the same time they wait for a break, and in less than half an hour, he's leading the boys towards the shop, an amused Neal following them closely.

"Papa, I want this bat," Roland tells him, reaching for a package with a baseball bat and a ball. Roland was never one for tantrums, he's an easy kid to deal with, but as Robin starts to tell him that he can't have the toys _and_ the shirt, the whining immediately starts.

"We agreed I would buy you the shirt, little man," Robin remembers, running his fingers through the boy's curls, "Henry, what will you pick for you?"

"I will have the shirt too, this way we can have matching shirts, right Roland?" Henry says, kindly, earning a genuine smile from Robin. But he can't have his son choosing his gift to please his younger brother, so he's ready to tell him he can pick whatever he wants, when Neal's voice echoes through the shop.

"Alright, I will offer the lad the bat," he tells them, shifting his attention to the older boy, "Henry, choose something too."

He's already too old for the toys, for the mini bats and balls for which Roland had cried for, so he keeps his attention on the clothes section, his eyes roaming through the several hats on display. Most of them have the team's logo, while others have 'baseball' written at the front, and Robin can tell none of them draws his son's attention.

"Can I have the same bat? I'll offer it to Dylan," he decides, reaching for a similar package to the one Roland had chosen.

"Are you sure? You can pick what you want and we'll buy something for him too," Robin assures, because he really doesn't mind spending a bit more money to buy the boy's brother a gift too. But Henry tells him he's sure, that he just wanted the shirt, so they lead the boys towards the register, helping Roland to change his shirt as Henry does the same to take a last picture of the boys with matching clothes before walking them back towards their seats.

"So, shopping is done, what do you say about watching the rest of the game?"

###

She's still working in her office when she hears the knocking on the door, and Robin's head peeking through the opening.

But it's Robin alone, without Henry, without Roland, and she immediately starts to wonder what could've happened for him to show up all by himself in her workplace. He would not let the kids alone somewhere, would he? Of course not, so where are they? Are they planning something?

Without having to say a word, he walks further into the room, closing the door behind him and answering the question in her mind as he tells her, "The boys are in the car with Neal, sleeping peacefully," she lets out a breath she didn't know she was holding, so he continues, "I thought I would stop by and ask if you want me to keep Henry for a bit longer, until you're done with your work."

Regina thinks for a moment, inhales deeply. It's late, late for her to be working, and she should go home with her sons, pick up Dylan and cook dinner for the boys, and then get ready for another day. But she wants to be successful in Robin's case, _needs_ to win his son's custody for him, and he's here, telling her he can watch their son for a bit longer, and Dylan is with Jefferson, so there's actually not a good reason for her to deny it.

"If you don't mind," she decides, watching as he shakes his head and assures her there's no problem. She thanks him, offering him a little smile – a tired smile – and before she could really react, he reaches for her hand, his fingers intertwining with hers as he caresses her skin, his thumb drawing a lazy pattern on the back of her hand.

"Please, don't exhaust yourself with my case," he says, his voice gentle, and caring, that only makes Regina want to do exactly that. Because this is bullshit, and he deserves to be with Roland.

She shakes her head, smiles, and tells him, "I'm not, I just need to finish some things for a meeting tomorrow."

Lies.

His thumb continues his pattern on her hand, a comfort she should not feel with him, but that she actually doesn't get from anyone else. How will they be able to keep a professional relationship? She wants him so bad. And he wants her too, she knows it. But they agreed they would wait – she's really trying – but then he shows up here, and starts to be his usual gentle self.

"I'll cook some dinner for the boys," he says, "Something healthy and that they will probably complain about, to make it up for the hot dogs at lunch."

She laughs at that, nodding her head and telling him, "Henry doesn't like salad. If you manage to make him eat a bit, you'll be my hero."

She doesn't realize her words before they are out of her mouth, but he doesn't make a big deal out of it, just nods his head and tells her, "Challenge accepted, do you think I'll lose some points with him?"

"After today? Not a chance," Regina answers back, taking the opportunity he relaxes his grip on her hand to move away from his hold. Not that she wanted, but they can't keep these caresses between them, and even if the floor is empty - without her co-workers to interrupt them at any moment - this is still her workplace, and she can hear a tiny voice in her head telling her that holding hands with a client is wrong. So she chooses the safe path, "So how was your day?"

"It was pretty great, we watched a good match and we stopped by the shop to buy some matching shirts for the boys," Robin shows her the picture he had taken earlier, earning a smile from the brunette, "And Henry made a point of buying something for Dylan too," her brows frown at that, enough for Robin to understand what crossed through her mind all of a sudden, "He didn't ask for it, each one of them had the opportunity to choose two things," he explains, "He picked the shirt and used his second gift to buy something for his baby brother."

"Thank you, for taking him today," she tells him, and Robin smiles, leaning back against his chair.

"He's my son, I like to have him around… and he may have asked one more time when would we let him spend the night at my house."

Regina's heart starts beating ten times faster inside her chest, her eyes shifting towards the computer screen, her hands searching for something to keep herself occupied. They are having this conversation again, after she had let them know she was not ready. But so much had happened since then, she supposes, and she trusts Robin, trusts him with Henry, there's no reason for any doubt.

"He asked you that?"

"Yes," Robin confirms with a nod of his head, "He heard Roland asking me if he would sleep at my house today, and I guess it jogged something."

His words make her relax a little bit, because he's a child, and it's not like he's trying to 'get rid' of his mother, he just heard Roland talking about it with Robin and, as Robin had put it, it had 'jogged something'. He wants to have a sleepover with his brother in their father's house, it's totally natural, and she can't keep that from happening.

And she doesn't really want to. She wants Robin to be part of Henry's life, wants Henry to have his father around, so what is she expecting? What harm can it do? He already spends a few days with Robin, it's just a sleepover.

So she takes a deep breath, says, "We can talk about it."

Robin's eyes widen, "Are you sure?"

"If you're willing to take that step," she tells him, and Robin nods his head, assures her that of course, he is.

"I just want you to be sure, a few weeks ago you told me you weren't ready," Robin explains, reaching for her hand one more time, but stopping himself before he could touch her, "He's a child, he doesn't understand what happened, so it's up to us to decide what is the right thing to do."

"I don't use to give into my sons' whims, but… I keep thinking if he's not right... if we are just wasting time," she tells him, and Robin just shrugs his shoulders.

"I'm ready, Regina, but I don't want you to regret this decision in a few months, or days, or weeks."

"I don't really know why I keep waiting," Regina confesses, staring at the picture of her, Daniel, and her kids at the hospital, "You're his father, and he doesn't even have Daniel anymore," her fiancé's name comes in a whisper, tears prickling the back of her eyes, as she flips the frame to hide the picture against the desk. She's tired, she should go home, and she definitely doesn't know why she starts crying when Robin places his hand over the picture, "I want him to have you in his life, and he clearly wants the same," she wipes the tears from her cheeks, looks back at the man in front of her, his blue eyes focused on the frame underneath his palm, "He was a good father for Henry, he helped me when I didn't have anybody, you would've liked him."

He turns the frame to look at the picture, takes a moment to appreciate every detail, the way Regina holds Dylan in her arms, how Daniel's arm is wrapped around Henry's shoulders.

"I'm sorry if I took this from you, but at the time… it seemed easier to move on with my life than look back and decide to tell you the truth," she takes a deep breath, exhales, keeps her gaze on Robin, "And I didn't want to think about how that would affect Henry, even Daniel."

Robin's fingers brush over Regina's image, before he places the frame back in its place. It's the first time he looks at a picture of the four of them as a family, she supposes, and she knows he needs time to react, but the silence is unbearable, and she just wished he could offer her something.

"I'm sorry," Regina says, "I was selfish."

"You were," he agrees, shifting his gaze to her, "But I told you, I understand."

She already lost the point of this conversation. They were talking about Henry, and about the fact that he wants to spend some nights at his father's house, and then they ended up on Daniel, and on how Regina stole all these possibilities from Robin. She has to get back to the topic. Finish this talk and send him home, and get back to work, otherwise, this will be just wasted time.

So she pulls herself together and clears her throat – thank god she's not crying anymore – and is back to her usual self as she says, "I don't want to be selfish anymore, so if you want to have Henry today," he starts to ask _'today?_ ', and she shushes him with a nod of her head, because if she doesn't do this right now, she'll begin to think about this all over again, and won't be able to make a decision, "Today, if it's all right with Henry, of course."

Robin nods at that, tilts his head to study her, his hand finally reaching for hers one more time, "Thank you, I will talk to him and let you know what he decided."

"I'll call after dinner to talk to him," she tells him, standing up from her chair as he does the same.

She feels the awkwardness of the moment by the time they reach the door, feels the adrenaline in her body when his fingers tuck a piece of hair behind her ear, and for a moment, she actually thinks he will kiss her goodbye, but then she feels his lips pressed against her forehead, and it doesn't take long until she's left alone in her office, the sound of the lift down the hall pulling her back to the reality.

###

As he leaves Regina's office, Robin spots Neal standing against the car, the boys still sleeping soundly in the back seat.

"So, that bad?" his friend asks, as Robin shakes his head, running his hand through his hair.

"I hate Marian."

Neal's brows rise to his hairline, "I already knew that, but did something happen?"

"No."

Neal nods, asks, "Something I can do to help?"

 _Convince Marian to reach an agreement regarding the custody,_ Robin thinks bitterly. That way it would be fair to Roland, and Robin could be with Regina. But he doesn't say it out loud, just takes a deep breath and explains, "I talked to Regina and we admitted to having feelings for each other, but we can't be together, because she's my bloody lawyer and Marian doesn't even want to think about an agreement about our son's custody. She's engaged again, why would she care about how is this affecting my life?"

He just wanted to have the same opportunity to rebuild his life. But he had to fall in love with Regina of all the people, with his lawyer. What is it with this woman that, even knowing what she did, it makes him want to be with her?

"Marian is engaged?" Neal asks, his tone full of surprise, as Robin nods his head.

"To an asshole who cheats on her on her back," he tells him.

Not that it's his business. They are divorced and she can marry whoever she wants, but he doesn't want him near Roland, and he will tell exactly that to Marian.

He notices the puzzled look on Neal's face, and maybe it's not even his place to be judging the man, but he finds himself explaining everything to his friend, "I saw him hitting on Regina one night at a bar," he peeks inside the car to make sure the kids are still asleep before leaning against the vehicle, continuing, "And then, when I went to Marian's house to meet him, I bumped into the same guy, and guess what? Marian had just told me that she's engaged to him."

For a moment, he wonders why he can't be happy when his ex-wife is clearly rebuilding her life. Her engagement will certainly affect the custody, and he knows that his story with Regina is totally different, but they could try, they would not tell anybody and would keep the relationship to themselves. But he doesn't allow himself to think too much about it, because he knows Regina won't do anything that can put Roland's custody at risk, so he pushes the thought away from his mind, and focuses on his son instead. The toddler who is sleeping inside the car. He has to take the boys home.

"Did you tell her?" Neal asks, as they slip into his seats. He will, but because he cares about his son, not because of her. He will do the right thing, it seems, but because he has to explain to Marian why he doesn't like that man around his four-year-old.

"I will," Robin assures him, as he starts the car. He tells his friend he will drop him at home first, that he will have both his boys spending the night at his house today, and that's enough to put a small smile on his face, one that doesn't last long as he starts again, "I can't understand why is she being so selfish. We can share Roland's custody, she's making everyone's lives more difficult."

"You know she was stubborn when you met her," Neal points out, as Robin stops at a red light, staring at the road.

"She's not being reasonable."

"She never was, that's why you got divorced."

"Probably," he agrees, remembering the time he left their house for good. Left while Roland was asleep, "But Regina is stubborn too, but the good type of stubborn, you know?"

"What I know is that you're totally smitten."

"That's true," Robin admits, starting the car again after glancing at the back seats to make sure the boys were still asleep, "What can I say, I always loved her," Neal scoffs, but Robin doesn't make a big deal out of it, just focuses on the road, enters the street to his friend's house, "I love her, and we can't be together."

He thinks about their talk, the kisses before she left his office, her sitting on his desk, her lips. It's almost as if he could see her right there, again, in front of him, and if that was the case, he would certainly not care about a bloody thing right now. But she's not, and they have to wait.

And then he pulls over in front of Neal's house, and hears him, "Will you be okay?"

Robin scoffs, and glances at the boys, smiles, "I will."

"Alright, take care," his friend leaves the car, closing the door behind him and making his way towards his building.

Robin remains on that spot for a moment, just thinking about everything, and thank everything and everyone that he has his two boys to keep him company. Despite everything, this is probably one of the best days of his life. And it's about to get better when he's preparing to start the car again, putting on some quiet music on the radio when he hears it. His older son's voice, making the day a million times more special.

"Dad," he mutters, his voice rough from the sleep as he sits straight on the back seat, "Are we here?"

Dad.

He just called him dad…

"Not yet, young man, we just dropped Neal at his house," Robin answers, trying not to give too much importance, because he was asleep, and it could've been something unconscious. But then he remembers his talk with Regina, and that he has something to discuss with the boy, "Are you awake? I have something to talk to you."

###

He had promised her a salad.

Had promised a healthy dinner for the boys. Some pasta and a few greens, and everybody will be happy. A Greek salad, he thinks. He already can imagine the boys protesting about the vegetables, but they will surrender for the pasta, so it's probably the best idea he will come up with. And he's hungry, he needs to cook something quick.

So he decides for that. A healthy and kid-friendly salad, which he'll start to cook as soon as he finishes helping Roland with his bath.

It's late, but he has two kids to look after tonight, one of them particularly difficult to deal with when it comes to bath time. Roland had argued that he wanted to play with Henry, and had been necessary a bit of persuasion to get him inside the tub, so now there are three people inside the bathroom, Henry sitting on the counter while Robin does his best to hurry and complete his task.

He's so glad Henry is already ready for the evening, currently busying himself with Robin's phone when it buzzes in his hands, Regina's picture popping up on the screen.

"It's my mom."

"Hi, sweetie," she replies when he brings the phone to his ear, "How was your day with Robin?"

Robin smiles as he hears his older son telling her everything about their day, the hot dogs they had for lunch, the shirts they had bought, but then he finishes with ' _and now we are helping Roland taking a bath so then we can have dinner_ ,' and his smile vanishes.

Great.

9 PM and the kids didn't have dinner yet.

"Is it true that you told Robin I could spend the night at his house? In the middle of the week?"

"Well, you're on vacation and I needed to work late, are you okay with that?"

"Yes!" he tells her excitedly, "You're the best mom ever."

"You and Dylan are the best sons ever," she parrots, chuckles at her son's enthusiasm. Robin had managed to pick up on a bit of their talk and is smiling foolishly, as Roland's voice interrupts his thoughts to ask why his papa is smiling like that. It draws Henry's attention to them, but just for a while until Regina's voice echoes on the other side of the line one more time, telling him, "Enjoy the sleepover and tell Robin I will call later, okay?"

"No, it's fine, tell your mother I can talk to her," Robin interrupts, because he can't have Regina wondering why are the boys without dinner, and Roland is already done with his bath anyway, "As long as you can help Roland to get dressed?"

Henry nods his head, says his goodbyes to his mother and hands the phone to Robin, right before hopping off the counter and leading his brother towards the bedroom.

"I'm here," Robin tells her, and he almost can picture the smirk on her lips, that smile of hers that he adores, "I'm sorry, I'm heading for the kitchen right now to cook the dinner for the boys."

"Don't need to apologize," Regina assures, as Robin walks towards Roland's room first, peeking inside to watch the boys completely focused on their task of choosing Roland's pajamas. They seem to be doing fine without him, which makes Robin relax a little, making his way towards the kitchen to start on their meal, "Taking care of two boys can be a very tricky task."

"You would know, right?" he replies, waiting for a response from her. When it doesn't come, he continues, "So, I thought about making that salad I promised you, how does that sound?"

When she laughs at his words, Robin feels ten times better, and he finds himself smiling too, picturing in his mind her smile, how she looks so bloody beautiful and carefree when she laughs.

"That sounds a good idea," her voice interrupts his thoughts, and he almost can hear her smile, knows that she's in a good mood tonight, and he's glad for that.

"So, help me here, because I'm quite terrible at this. I'll use some pasta, tomatoes, cucumber…" he lists, and then puts her on the speaker, to make it easier for him to cook while he talks to her, "Will Henry eat this?"

He'll probably protest first, Robin thinks, just like Roland. But all it comes from his phone is Regina's answer of, "I'm sure you'll manage."

He nods, even if she can't see him, his eyes focused on the ingredients as he tosses it into a bowl. He should ask about her day, but she's in such a good mood and Robin doesn't want to ruin it. So there's a silence for a moment, maybe because they don't have too much to say to each other right now, but he likes to hear her voice, likes to think she's there sharing these moments with them.

If he could convince Marian to share the custody, everything would be different.

"I can't help but think you should be here, having dinner with us."

"Robin…" she reminds, and right. They can't share dinners as if they were a family. They aren't. He shares a kid with Regina, that's all. No matter how much he likes her, no matter how much she cares for him too, "Maybe someday… We can't right now, but we talked about this-"

"And we agreed to wait," he finishes, trying to hold on to that prospect. He won't put Roland's custody at risk, nor her job. But it's still difficult.

He can hear her breath on the other side, and the last thing he wanted was to upset her. His grip tightens on the knife in his hand, his lips pressed together, cursing himself for being unable to keep his mouth shut.

"Anyway, I just called to check on Henry, I guess it's finally time for you to have dinner."

Robin doesn't want to make the situation even worse, so he just nods, tells her, "Yeah, I think you're right," and calls the boys to say their goodbyes, before hanging up, wondering what he can do to fix their situation.

* * *

 **I hope you liked! Reviews are welcomed.**


	19. Chapter 19

**I'm so so sorry for the delay! Never thought I would be months without updating this story, but I got this new idea for a fanfiction and I wanted to start writing it right away. I guess it took me longer than I thought, but here is a new chapter and hopefully, I will be able to post the first chapter of the new story soon. I don't really like to write two stories at the same time, but I can't wait to post this new fanfiction. I hope you can forgive me and I will try to update more regularly. Thank you for your patience and enjoy this chapter!**

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Chapter 19.

In the morning, Robin drops Henry home right before driving to Marian's house to leave Roland, even if he knows that this visit to his ex-wife's house has more to it than to simply return his four-year-old to his mother.

He has to talk to her about Keith, about what happened that night at the bar, about the fact that Marian's fiancée was flirting with his lawyer. All this without mentioning Regina's name. Because that is exactly what they are trying to avoid when they agreed to wait to have a relationship - trying to keep their proximity from Marian.

Robin emerges from Roland's room a few minutes later, noticing Marian sitting on the couch, staring at the TV, her arms crossed over her chest. She's waiting for him to leave, he supposes, but Robin won't have any of it, he came here with a purpose and he'll not leave without having this talk.

"Can I have a moment?" Robin asks, and Marian shifts her gaze to look at him, frowning, but making room for him to sit beside her, nonetheless, "Roland is busy and I suppose I should talk to you about this."

"What do you want to talk about?" she says in confusion, and when he finally has the opportunity to get this off his chest, he freezes.

"It's about Keith," Robin confesses, his voice low, because he knows she will be upset. It's not even his place to get in the middle of his ex-wife's relationship, but he hates this situation and he doesn't think he'll be able to sleep at night knowing what he knows. Maybe Marian is making his life a living hell, yes, but she was once his girlfriend, his wife, and he doesn't feel right hiding this from her.

When he looks back at her, she's frowning, "What about Keith?"

"I saw him the other night," he tells her, "He was at a bar."

"I know, he was spending time with some friends."

"Maybe, yeah, but he was also-"

She sighs, clearly annoyed, "Your point?"

"He was flirting with… another woman," Robin explains, because he won't drag Regina into this. If he can keep her away from this mess, all the better, "I just thought you should know about it."

"Let me guess, this other woman has dark brown eyes, dark hair, and goes by the name Regina?" his eyes widen at that, but he tries his best to keep his cool, for Regina, for the sake of Roland's custody and her job.

"What-"

"Keith already told me about this, Robin," she interrupts him, and it's his turn to look confused, because why would he tell his fiancée that he had flirted with another woman… "He recognized you the day you came to pick up Roland, and he told me you threatened him at the bar, right after _your_ lawyer approached him."

"Marian, this is madness, that didn't happen-"

His words are interrupted once again, with a sudden, "Are you sleeping with her?"

Robin freezes one more time, a puzzled look on his face when he lets out a confused, "What?" and then, "No, Marian, I'm not. And that's a serious accusation."

Marian scoffs and shakes her head, explaining, "You should know already that the fact that she's spending time with Roland wouldn't go unnoticed, and why were you together at a bar?" that makes him sigh, has him wondering if his son had told about Regina to his mother, and of course, he did, he seems quite smitten with her, and loves spending time with her and Henry, "And I know you, Robin, just like I know that look on your face right now."

He feels self-conscious for a moment, but she'll not win this argument, not when he's purposely staying away from Regina to keep this from happening. And why is this so important to her? Is she jealous? Because if it wasn't for the fact that he can lose his son just as Regina can lose her job, he wouldn't give a damn about what Marian thinks about this. They are not together anymore, and thank god for that, because his sympathy for his ex-wife is quickly running out.

So for the sake of the custody of his son, he tells her, "I'm not sleeping with her," and explains, "Roland may spend time with her kid, but that's all, they are friends."

She keeps the frown on her face when she asks, "And why the hell is he friends with your lawyer's kid?"

"God, Marian! They met once, what's wrong with that?" Robin replies, in exasperation, "And we're getting away from the point of this conversation, you don't know the truth about what happened at the bar."

She seems even more upset with those words, rolls her eyes at him and accuses, "Now you're telling me my fiancée is lying to me?"

She's really stubborn, isn't she?

Robin takes a deep breath to calm himself, decided to avoid any more arguments and finish with this talk once and for all, and he doesn't really care if Marian believes him, but he tells her, "Look, the truth is… he was hitting on Regina. I'm not telling you this to cause any damage to your relationship, but I thought you should know. Now you choose who you want to believe."

"I already chose," Marian says, "It's not a tough call when you're telling me to choose between my ex-husband and my fiancée."

Alright then.

And just like that, he had managed to make a fool of himself, because he's stupid to think he could forget his problems with Marian enough to warn her about this. At least, he can learn from his mistakes.

So Robin says his goodbyes to his son, and closes the front door behind him, driving back to his house and wondering if he should let Regina know about this.

###

Regina drives to Granny's as soon as Robin drops Henry at home. She has to work today, so she asked Ruby to keep an eye on the boys for a bit, just until Jefferson arrives with his daughter to keep the children entertained for the day.

It's their last night before they have to return to their lives, and Grace was pretty insistent on spending it with their friends. Regina will keep them company at dinner, since she can't take the day off to be with them, but as soon as she gets to her work and places her purse on her desk, her phone buzzes with a notification, the words on the screen making her frown in confusion:

 _I have to talk to you._

 _\- Robin_

Those six words are never a good thing, but it has to be something serious for him to be texting her not even an hour after he had dropped Henry at her house. She types the call button and waits, hopes there's nothing wrong with him or Roland.

"Hello."

She lets out a breath of relief as she hears his voice, getting rid of her jacket as she occupies her seat behind the desk. He sounds a bit beaten, upset, but she doesn't want to jump to conclusions, not without knowing what he wants to tell her.

"Hi," she greets, "Do you want to talk to me?"

"Yes, but I would prefer if we could speak personally," he tells her, almost coyly. She presses her lips together, to avoid a sigh, because she has such a busy day already, and she's not sure if she can make time for him, "Do you think we can meet somewhere?"

"Today it's a bit complicated," she admits, reaching for her schedule to find a meeting in the afternoon and Jefferson's dinner in the evening. She presses her free hand to her temple, tells him, "Wait," before texting her best friend to know if they can move their dinner an hour early, this way she could stop by Robin's place right after it, "I think I can come to your house after dinner, how's that?"

"Are you sure?" he asks, "I don't want to mess with your schedule."

Regina shakes her head, before remembering that he can't see her. He's not messing with her schedule, as long as she can have dinner earlier, she will have time to meet him at his house after, she thinks. And he seems to need to talk. Something happened and she will not let him hang. He's her friend above all.

"It's Jefferson's last night before he has to leave and I agreed to have dinner with him, but I'm sure I can find some time to stop by your place," she assures.

"Alright, thank you, Regina," Robin replies, saying his goodbyes before hanging the phone.

###

She had been looking forward to this dinner all day. To get out of her job and spend her friend's last night in the city with him and their children, hoping this could be a way to distract her mind from what has been bothering her the whole day.

But tonight… tonight her mind has been elsewhere - on someone else to be precise. Since her talk with Robin this morning, she can't really focus on anything else, and has been trying to figure out what he may have to talk to her. But so far, the only thing she's certain of is that no good can come of this conversation. He had sounded pretty upset, and worried, and maybe if she could have made time for him in the afternoon, he could have stopped by her office and now maybe she would be able to enjoy the dinner with her friend.

Definitely not what's happening right now. She can hear Jefferson's voice as he talks to her, but she can't make out the words, so she's not following their current conversation.

She's being an awful company.

Jefferson had always listened to her every time she needed to get something off her chest, when she needed to talk about Robin and their issues, about their problems. Her mind is telling her that, but her heart is with someone else, worrying about the father of her older son and keeping her from giving her attention to her friend.

And now the kids had left them alone in favor of some fresh air, Henry had placed his brother back on his mother's lap before hurrying outside with Grace.

"So, Henry is not here, do you want to tell me what got you so brooding?" Jefferson asks, as she adjusts her grip on Dylan.

"I'm sorry… it's Robin," Regina explains, "He told me he wants to talk to me, and I'm worried."

"Did something happen?"

"I don't know," she tells him, mostly the reason for her to be concerned, "I'm going to meet him after dinner… do you think you could watch the boys?"

Jefferson's expression is everything she needs to know that she didn't even need to ask.

"I think you know the answer to that question," he tells her, putting down his fork and glancing at the baby, sitting on Regina's lap. She answers him with a thankful smile, and drops a kiss on the top of her son's head.

The need to keep an eye on her son and the time she spends trying to keep him entertained had been enough to occupy Regina's mind, and she actually had been able to give some of her attention to Jefferson, telling him she will really miss him and asking him to keep her updated regarding the possibility for him to come back to her company.

Jefferson had told her he would, that would be one of the first things he would deal with as soon as he returned to work next week.

When they run out of topics of conversation, Robin's text fills her mind once again, enough for Jefferson to notice, clearing his throat before he says, "I'll get the check and make sure your boys have a good night of sleep, you go talk to Robin."

She can't. They didn't even have the dessert and he shouldn't have to pay for her dinner.

But as she starts to shake her head, ready to protest, he gives her a look she knows all too well, letting her know he won't give in, "Are you sure? I can-"

"I got it," he assures, reaching for the baby in her arms.

Well, she's thankful for it. She really has to talk to Robin, and she doesn't want to delay it anymore.

So she gathers all her things and prepares to leave the restaurant, but not before she promises her friend she will pay him her half the next day.

###

Robin is upset. Had been this moody since his talk with Marian.

After leaving his ex-wife's house, he had decided to go for a run, where he could be alone with his thoughts and blow off some steam.

It was sunny outside, but the temperature was just perfect. Not too warm, not too cold, just pleasant enough to spend some time running in the park. It had actually felt good. Robin always loved a good run, especially when he felt that riled up.

So now he steps out of the tub, wraps his towel around his hips and tries not to think about Marian's sudden words.

 _'_ _Are you sleeping with her?'_

That question had been bothering him the whole day. Is he so transparent that he let Marian see he is attracted to Regina? God, he hopes not. The last thing he wants is to ruin her job, and his own chances of winning Roland's custody.

He is afraid of what she might do, if she decides to use this against them in court. Although there is no proof. What damage can this information really cause? It is obvious the judge will not just believe her. She needs to prove it, and that, she has no way to do it. He is not sleeping with Regina. They are exactly avoiding that.

This should be enough to put his mind at rest. But it's not.

His house is quiet, leaving him alone with his thoughts, so Robin finds himself sitting at the edge of the bed, glancing at the clock on the bedside table to notice he probably still has time to eat something before Regina arrives. But he doesn't have in himself to move, millions of thoughts crossing his mind before he can even think about dinner.

He has to tell Regina. He knows she will be upset, but there is no way he can hide this from her.

To his surprise, the sound of the doorbell echoes in his ears, bringing him back to reality. It's just past seven, too early to be _her._

The realization that he stands just as he came out of the bathtub has Robin rushing towards the dresser, putting on a t-shirt and some shorts before making his way towards the front door.

###

He looks terribly handsome tonight. In his shorts and t-shirt, hair wet and disheveled, and his characteristic scent hitting Regina the moment he opens the door to his house.

But it's clear something is up with him.

She can see it by the wrinkles on his forehead, by the way he presses his lips together. He seems… distant. She itches to ask and know what's bothering him so much, but instead, she lets him close the door behind her, hands him the package she is holding in her hand and tells him, "I brought some leftovers."

Robin smiles, what appears to be a genuine tilt of his lips when he explains, "I just came out of the bath, didn't really bother to cook dinner yet."

"So I take this is welcome," Regina says, following him towards the kitchen.

She had been in his house before, nothing seems different, except for the fact she didn't feel this domesticity any other times.

She watches as Robin heads towards the fridge to grab a beer for himself, while she entertains herself with the coffee machine. She needs a coffee to endure this talk, if Robin's expression is any indication of how complicated this seems to be. She shifts her gaze to him one more time, notices the pent-up tension in every inch of his body, and wonders if she can do anything to help. He asked her here for a reason, she thinks. She tries to be patient, but how long will it take for him to cut to the chase?

She startles a little when she feels his hand moving on her lower back, steps aside when she realizes he's trying to reach the package she brought him with her meal, "How did it go?" he asks, and for a moment, Regina looks confused, "Your dinner with Jefferson, I mean."

"Oh, it was good. Henry was sad to see Grace leaving, but Jefferson is trying to come back." It doesn't do much to keep small talk between them, but she's not really here for that, is she? She tries to wait, to give him the opportunity to be the one to start the conversation, but she is his friend, and she's worried, and so she asks, "What happened?" before he could even think about shifting the topic of conversation.

Robin sighs at the question, takes a seat across from her at the table and admits, "It's about Marian. I had an interesting conversation with her this morning." Regina raises her eyebrows, brings the mug with the coffee to her lips and waits for him to elaborate. The coffee is good. Warm and soothing, the perfect amount of caffeine she will probably need tonight, "I'm sorry, I didn't mean to worry you."

"It doesn't matter," she dismisses with a shake of her head, "What did she do?"

"Marian? Nothing."

Well, now she's confused. Robin is upset, and nervous, and telling her Marian didn't do anything to leave him in this state. She's not sure she believes him. If it's not Marian, then who is it?

"Marian didn't do anything, her boyfriend did. I had the pleasure of meeting him already."

Regina frowns, "Oh, are you… you're not jealous-"

"No, nothing of the sort," he assures, as soon as the words are out of her mouth, "You know I don't," he repeats, gives her a look that reminds her of their talk about their feelings for each other. He assured her he is past Marian already, and that despite they can't be together right now, he is willing to wait for Regina, "He did something that… concern us both."

He is being extremely vague. Has a feeling of unease starting to bubble up inside her.

"Before you ask what it is, I promise you I _will_ fix it," he reaches for her hand across the table, wraps his fingers around hers, "And I'm sorry if I dragged you into this."

"Robin…"

"Marian's boyfriend is the same ass who hit on you at the bar."

And just like that, she understands, "What?"

"I know, and… I talked to Marian to warn her about that and she just… doesn't believe in me. He convinced her you approached him first and then I threatened him about it."

She is just staring at him with a dumbfounded look on her face, eyebrows raised, lips parted, and fully speechless. She scoffs before anything, her hand sliding off his grip, as she leans back in her seat and stares at the mug in front of her.

"She accused me of sleeping with you," Robin whispers, almost fearful, and when she doesn't answer, he raises from his seat and scoots the chair closer to hers. He doesn't touch her, doesn't try to reach for her a second time, just sits close to her, his presence actually welcome. Even when they try to keep away from each other, they mess things up. She can't cut ties with him because he is Henry's father, but she shouldn't allow him to get _this_ close. Physically and emotionally.

"I'm sorry I dragged you into this," he repeats, placing his hand on the back of her chair, "I _promise_ you this won't affect your job-"

" _I_ am sorry," she interrupts, "We keep agreeing to give each other space, but… I'm here now and we both know this is far from a professional relationship."

His thumb touches the back of her neck, makes a shiver run down her spine when he admits, "This whole conversation with Marian makes me wonder why we do even bother to wait."

"Robin…" Regina sighs, but doesn't make a move to step back. She melts right into his touch, leans her neck against his palm, and relishes in the feeling of having him _here_ , with her. She had wanted to be with him like this since they talked about it, since they parted ways in his office with that last kiss, "You know why."

"Because she can ruin our lives-"

"Because she can take Roland away from you."

He closes his eyes, defeated, knows deep down that she's right. She misses him. And this is torture. She wants to be with him, make up for the lost time. Does Marian even has a way of knowing, if they are careful enough? She already thinks they are together.

Of course, she won't risk it. Roland is too important, and they can't throw it all away because they are impatient. But then, if so, this closeness is not helping, not at all. She keeps thinking about a way to be with him, a way of having Robin, and Roland, and her job, without having to worry if Marian will take those things away from her. She knows why Robin is upset, she feels exactly the same, the desire to be with him, but wanting to make sure he doesn't lose anything important to him in the process. It's a lose-lose situation.

His thumb continues to trace lazy patterns on the skin of her neck, his voice is soft when he murmurs, "I don't know what to do." When she turns her head to look at him in the eye, a puzzled look on her face, he explains, "I really want to kiss you right now."

"We shouldn't," she sighs, not really sure if she's trying to stop him or herself from doing just that, "It wouldn't change anything."

"For now," he points out, "I _do_ want to be with you, even if it's behind closed doors."

There's something in the way he says it, his voice, his words, his certainty, that gets a smile – no matter how small - out of Regina and makes her feel a wave of affection for this man. He's trying to come up with a way to be with her, regardless the secret she kept from him all these years. She really wished she could agree with this madness, believe they could keep some kind of relationship behind the world's back, but this is reality, and everyone knows a lie has no legs.

"I wish it were that simple," she explains, "But this can drag on for months, and… if we start to go down this path, kissing each other and getting comfortable-"

"Stop overthinking," he interrupts, and it takes her somehow by surprise, not expecting he would keep trying to convince her about this, "We are here now, and I can't see how someone would know about this if none of us opens its mouth about it."

She looks uncertain for a moment, conflicted, but it's just the two of them right now, with barely any chance of being seen together, and so what is the harm if she indulges in _one_ kiss. Her gaze drops to his lips as his tongue peeks out, and she almost forgets why they shouldn't do it when she says, "This doesn't mean-"

"I know," he smiles as he leans closer, cupping her cheek in his hand, "It is _one_ kiss."

###

It is not just 'one kiss'. It's the kiss, the touches, the caresses, the pine-fresh scent of his shampoo enveloping them as Robin holds her close to him. He kisses her like his life depends on it, traces her upper lip with his tongue, just teasing rather than imposing. She loves this side of him, sweet, caring, when he wants to make sure she's comfortable before his own needs.

She doesn't have in herself to push him away. She knows it's selfish, that this won't lead anywhere, but she missed him, have been just a few days since the last time she felt his lips on hers, and she missed him terribly.

And so her arms around his shoulders urge him closer, her fingers playing with the hair on the back of his neck. His own hand is buried in her raven locks, keeping her lips glued to his while the other explores her side over the fabric of her shirt. She sighs quietly at his touch, and it only encourages him more, has her leaving her seat to straddle his lap when his palm slides underneath soft silk.

She feels him tense beneath her, a quiet groan leaving his throat, as the hand on her side moves upwards and his thumb touches the lace of her bra. He doesn't try to remove it, nor push any limits, just moves his thumb in a lazy circle, before he slips his hand lower to wrap his arms around her waist.

He's attentive, and patient, doesn't try to push her, and it only makes her want him more. Has her rocking sheepishly against him because maybe this is a mistake, yes, but it's a mistake she can live with. At least, for now. While she's wrapped up in his embrace, with Robin moaning her name with every move she makes against him.

How does a mistake can feel so right?

She shouldn't have agreed with this in the first place. Should've stopped him while she could, while she was able to do it because, right now, she doesn't want it. She wants him right here, where he is, hands exploring her back, lips caressing her jaw, and the feel of him beneath her… She's lost. She tells herself it's just for tonight, because he is upset about Marian and her boyfriend, but will they really be able to keep their hands to each other when they see themselves alone one more time?

Those said hands slip from her back, lower to her thighs, cherishing and groping, trying desperately to find the hem of her skirt while his mouth is too busy, tasting the skin of her neck. Her heart beats faster inside her chest, sending a wave of adrenaline through her whole body, and it's not good, it's not good because it makes her want to throw caution to the wind and allow him to take her right here in his kitchen. Her hand on the back of his neck slips lower, makes its way beneath the fabric of his t-shirt, touching his skin and massaging the tension in his shoulders.

Robin relaxes visibly underneath her palm, his warm exhale tickling the skin of her neck, and at least, this whole thing is helping him to relax.

"Soon, I promise," she whispers right in his ear, making him stop, his blue eyes staring curiously at her, "When this whole thing is over, everything will be different."

"I look forward to that," his hands move up and down her back, while he leans forward to press a kiss to the scar on her upper lip, "Kissing you it's quickly becoming one of my favorite things."

"Tease."

"It's the truth," he assures, "I dream of the day when I can kiss you whenever I please."

"Robin… don't make this more difficult," she pleads, but he pulls her even closer to him, their bodies pressed together as he places a lock of hair behind her ear.

"I'm not," he tells her, "But, please, don't go just yet."

She's not ready to let go of him either. She wants to live in this moment, and so she offers him a gentle smile, wraps her arms around his neck one more time and allows them one more kiss.

This one is just different. Less hurried, more deep. She relishes in the feeling of her lips on his instead of the heated kisses they were sharing just a few minutes ago, their tongues moving together, his warm hands keeping her against him. She's not sure she will be able to spend just a day without kissing this man.

That's why this was a bad idea.

When she pulls back, a defeated sigh leaves his lips, and she has to gather all her senses to not give in and throw it all away. Instead, she keeps their foreheads together, not really ready to let go, but not allowing herself to engage in any more caresses. She's actually glad when he shifts the topic of conversation, "And about Marian…"

"Don't worry about her," she interrupts, shaking her head, the movement causing their noses to touch, "She needs to prove whatever accusation she tries to take to the judge."

Although she's sure Marian would not waste this opportunity to use this against her ex-husband, her half-lie is already worth it when she sees the smile on Robin's lips, "That's a relief."

She's not so sure about that, but she manages to offer him a smile, one that only disappears when she leans to kiss his cheek. It's just friendly, and not at all what she wished to be doing right now, but it works to ease the situation a bit, to get them out of their bubble and face the real world.

She sighs deeply, stands up from his lap, the only connection between them is their joined hands, "But if we don't want to give her any proof about us, I really should go."

Robin nods, looking miserable as ever, and then he's walking her towards the front door, not letting go of her, his fingers holding tightly to hers until the distance makes impossible to do it.


	20. Chapter 20

**Hello, thank you so much for your patience and for sticking with this story! I had a bit of writer's block, but now I came back with a lot of ideas and hopefully with more time to post new chapters. I hope you like this one!**

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Chapter 20.

 _Regina has a sense of déjà vu as she walks towards the microphone in front of the judge, her mind focused on what's going to happen in the next hour._

 _Today is the day. Today they will finally know who Roland is going to spend most of his time with, who will win Roland's custody in the end. She needs to win this for Robin, she has to. She can't live knowing she could have helped him to win his son's custody, but instead, she had spoiled everything. It's not like she doesn't believe Robin can win this, but it's just too much at stake. Marian can suddenly decide to push Robin away from the boy, and she can't let that happen._

 _With that in mind, she studies the papers in her hands one last time, preparing herself to defend Robin's case… until the voice of Marian's lawyer echoes through the room, keeping her from even open her mouth, "Your honor, if you'll allow me, I would like to show you something."_

 _He takes out of his bag a small envelope, which he hands to the judge._

 _"_ _Alright," the older man tells him, "Let's see what is so important."_

 _Yes… what is so important that allows him to interrupt her before she even begins?_

 _She watches as a frown forms on the judge's face, and she turns to look at Robin, noticing how he seems as clueless about this as her._

 _"_ _Miss Mills, if you could come closer, please," the judge hands her the papers, and suddenly, the silence that fills the room becomes unbearable for Regina. Her hopes about winning this case are entirely forgotten now, her lips parting at the sight of the picture in her hands. It's her and Robin, on the day of Henry's eleventh birthday, sitting on the bench away from everybody with their lips pressed to each other's and her arms wrapped around his neck. Fuck._

 _"_ _What happened?" she hears Robin's ask from behind her, and without really understanding how it happens, she watches Marian leave with Roland in her arms, and Robin is pushed away from her, the world turning black as she stands alone in that dark court room._

Regina sits upright in her bed as she wakes from the terrible nightmare, panting and with beads of sweat running down her face. Robin had lost Roland's custody to Marian, and all because they choose to give in to their attraction, instead of waiting as they had said they would.

God, it was too real. The pictures, Robin's desperate screams as he tried to understand what was happening, Marian's smug smile when she left with Roland. No, no, this was a dream. She is in her bed, and Robin is fine, as well as his chances of winning his son's custody.

She doesn't want to sleep anymore. Too afraid of living that nightmare a second time.

She glances at the clock on the nightstand, the red numbers marking almost six in the morning. She might as well prepare herself for the day, she thinks.

She gets up from the bed and makes her way towards the bathroom, decided to wash away the remains of that awful dream. She takes time to wash her hair, to just think about nothing at all, and give herself time to relax. And then she will cook breakfast for the kids, because she knows Henry will be sad today to see their friends leaving. She had told Jefferson they would say their goodbyes at the airport, but she still has, at least, three hours to spare.

She puts on comfortable clothes after the shower, and makes her way towards the kitchen with the book she has been reading in her hands. She reads and sips her coffee until well after eight, and then she decides she can wake up the boys, their good energy a blessing, considering the way she woke up from her sleep this morning.

###

When they get to the airport, Jefferson is already waiting for them, with Ruby and Grace standing by his side. She wasn't naïve enough to believe Jefferson wouldn't pursue this relationship just because she had advised him not to, but she wasn't expecting to see them like this, like they have been together for months and are now a perfect little family having a hard time saying goodbye to each other in the middle of the airport.

It's… sweet, and Regina's heart melts at the sight of them, but she won't lie and say she is not afraid this will end badly. She doesn't want Ruby to get hurt, nor does she want Jefferson and his daughter to suffer if this doesn't work.

"You made it," Jefferson's voice wakes her from her reverie, and she puts a smile on her face as she closes the distance between them.

"Of course I made it, did you think I wouldn't show up?"

"No, it's just…" he takes a step in her direction, taking advantage that everyone else seems distracted. Henry runs to meet Grace, and Ruby seems to understand and gives them some space while she focus her attention on the kids, "You seemed… 'tired' when you picked up the boys last night, is everything alright?"

Oh, that. She knows he is talking about her conversation with Robin, and no, she won't talk about this in the middle of the airport.

"I'm fine," she tells him, because what is the point in talking about this one more time if it's just more of the same. They have to wait, they won't put Roland's custody at risk, end of the story, "So, do you know when you can come back?" Regina asks, trying to change the subject.

"Not yet," his eyes shift to the brunette currently laughing with the kids, a sad smile forming on Jefferson's lips, "But I'll take care of that. I want to get back as soon as possible."

"I see," Regina murmurs, "Is it serious? Your relationship."

"I think so… I'm happy when I'm with her, and Grace loves her, I think we can make this work," Jefferson tells her with such expectation in his voice, and Regina can't tell him otherwise. It's his life, he knows what he is doing, hopefully, and the only thing she can do is to support him the best she can.

She wraps her free arm around her friend and pulls him into a hug, he's careful not to smash Dylan, but she pulls back as soon as she feels her son squirming in her arms, a genuine smile on her face as she notices how the baby boy hides his face in the crook of her neck.

"Well, I wish you good luck," Regina tells him sincerely, because she just wants to see her friend happy, and she is not the best person to talk about tough relationships, is she?

"Thank you, you too," she gives him a last hug before making her way towards the kids, giving space to Ruby, and she watches from the corner of her eye how they cling to each other, Jefferson's arms wrapped around Ruby's torso, and she thinks that maybe this is good, maybe they are right and they just need to give it a chance.

###

The morning goes fast.

She assured Ruby she could take the boys to the office with her to spend the rest of the day - is middle of August so there are very few people in the building this week, and she only has a few more hours of work anyway – but she is eating her words when the clock strikes noon, trying to go through all her emails while she deals with two hungry and bored little boys.

She only wanted half an hour. Half an hour and then she would take them to lunch, to Henry's favorite restaurant if it has to be, but it seems she won't have not even a minute more to focus on her work.

She tried everything: drawings, games, she even let Henry spend some time on her computer while she tried to lull Dylan into an early nap, but it seemed nothing would work in her favor.

Fifteen minutes later, she is wrapping herself in her black coat, ready to put some food on her sons' bellies, when the sound of her phone echoes through the room, "Hello?"

"Hello, beautiful," Robin's voice sounds on the other side, and she doesn't know if it's good or bad, but well, she already got used to the idea that she won't be able to do anything today, "Am I interrupting?"

It would be rude to say that yes, he is, because it's not like he is interrupting, she was just on her way out to get some food for her boys, but she was hoping she would manage to soothe them down a little, at least enough so she could get rid of some paperwork during the afternoon.

Even though, she tells him, "No, is everything alright?"

"Yes, I was just trying to come up with an excuse to talk to you," she rolls her eyes at his words, a smile on her face nonetheless. Henry must have noticed it too, because he is shifting his attention from his baby brother to question his mother about this person on the other end of the line, "Is that Henry?" Robin asks when he hears the boy's voice.

"Yes," she tells him with a sigh, "I brought them with me to the office and it's being a little more eventful than I first anticipated."

"Are they giving you a hard time?" he teases, and she can hear the smile in Robin's voice, one that she just wishes she could kiss away. Why did life push her away from Robin? Why couldn't she raise her kid with this man, who showed up after all these years and it's being everything she ever dream of?

"They are just hungry," she dismisses, but it's a lie, and one Robin doesn't buy at all.

"Well, maybe I could pick them up and entertain them for the afternoon, if you want?"

"Oh, no, no, it's okay," she tells him, easily, "I can take care of them."

"I know that, love, but I really don't have anything better to do today," Robin assures, putting a smile on her lips, and what is it with this man that can make her smile without even trying?

Maybe he is right, maybe they would be better with him. Henry would definitely be thrilled to spend the afternoon with his father instead of being cooped up inside his mother's boring office.

Before she could even give him an answer, he continues, "Besides, he's my son, I would like nothing more than to spend time with him."

"Fine," she relents, "I'm going out now to give them some lunch, but I'll see you in an hour?"

"It's fine by me."

She thanks him one more time before changing their goodbyes, and then she focuses her attention on her older son to talk to him about the plans for the afternoon.

Henry agrees easily, just as she was expecting, and it genuinely makes her happy to see they get along so well. Henry has a father once again, and Regina has someone she can rely on a second time.

###

He's waiting for her as promised, leaned against the side of his car, casually checking his phone and looking damn good as he does it. He has that adorable, focused expression on his face, and he is wearing a dark blue t-shirt, working to bring out the blue of his fascinating eyes.

She can't take her eyes off him. He looks so good, so… refreshed, a far cry from the Robin she met in her dream (but then again, that was a dream, and he's not feeling the pressure of losing his son's custody right now). Even though, she is glad to see his smile when Henry runs towards his father, Regina and Dylan following after him, with the younger boy bouncing by his mother's side. Henry rushes to tell him how boring had been his morning spent at his mother's office, how he had tried to entertain himself and Dylan, but how he is so glad that he had offered to have them for the afternoon.

"Yes, thank you for saving their day," Regina smiles when she reaches them, running her fingers through Dylan's brown locks.

"It's really no problem, love, I'm happy I can help."

"Where are we going?" Henry asks, almost jumping on his feet.

Regina laughs at her son's antics, internally pitying Robin, who is going to put up with two boys in a sugar high. Henry is usually a quiet kid, spending most of his time buried in his books, but he has been too much time locked inside Regina's office and she knows he now has a lot of energy to burn.

"Well, I was thinking about the boatyard… we can have an ice cream and there should be a park somewhere where you can run as you want until you get tired," he looks at Regina, then, at the frown on her face, and she knows he's mentally reconsidering their plans for the afternoon, not really understanding what could've changed her good spirits, "What is it?"

She crinkles her nose in that adorable way she does, tells him, "Ice cream after lunch? And then running in the park?"

She's sure that would be a ticket to an afternoon of vomit cleaning.

"Alright, alright. Maybe a stroll on the pier, we can see the boats, and then we can go a bit to the park, and then ice cream?"

It's the puzzled look on his face that makes Regina laugh freely. He will manage, she thinks, he has a son and, truthfully, she trusts Robin with her sons without a doubt.

She cups Henry's chin affectionately and places a kiss on his forehead, telling him to 'be good'. Dylan is up next, and so she scoops her son up in her arms, holding him tightly to her chest, "Can you go with Robin? And mama will pick you up in a bit?"

The boy nods his head slowly, clinging to Regina until she places him on Roland's car seat. She closes the door behind her, before focusing her attention on Robin, "If you need anything just call me."

"You too, babe," she melts a little at his words, sighing comfortably when he presses a kiss to her forehead, "They will be fine, but don't exhaust yourself on my account, alright?"

It's not like Robin's case is the only thing she has to take care of at the firm, but she doesn't bother to correct him, just nods her head, touched by his concern. Much to Regina's disappointment, Robin is gone as quickly as he arrived, but she stands there just to watch them go. The weather is nice, the wind is cool on her face, and for a moment, she just wished she could spend the afternoon with the boys, reports be damned.

Of course, she knows her job has to be done, so she can't even think about the possibility of jeopardizing it in favor of an afternoon with them, instead, she turns around to return to her office, coming face to face with the last person she wished to see right now.

"Mother," Regina's body tenses at the familiar brown eyes staring back at her, making her curse internally. What is _she_ doing here?

"I'm sorry, I didn't mean to startle you, dear, but I didn't want to interrupt."

There's a knowing smirk on her face, an evidence that she had just witnessed her interaction with Robin. _Shit, shit!_ How is she supposed to get herself out of this mess right now?

"You look beautiful," Cora compliments as she walks towards her daughter, her words carrying more meaning that it should. She's testing her, she wants to pick on a moment of weakness when Regina will tell her everything that's going on between her and Robin, but she won't. She will never admit there's more than friendship happening between her and her former boyfriend, not right now, and especially not to her mother.

"Thank you, mother," she runs her hands unknowingly over her black skirt (a pretty normal black skirt for her mother to be giving it so much importance), "I didn't expect to see you here."

"Of course, you didn't," Cora turns around and walks towards the front door of the building, and Regina realizes she really means to stay. Right… this is not a quick visit, then. So much for a quiet afternoon.

###

Her mother occupies her chair – _her chair_ – in front of the glass table, leaving the uncomfortable leather one for Regina to sit and feel even more vulnerable to her mother's ruthless remarks.

Great, just what she needed right now. To feel that she needs to defend herself when it comes to her relationship with Robin, something her mother has nothing to do with in the first place. That's what she thinks, Regina muses, because Cora would tell her that she is her mother, and so of course she has the right to have a say in her daughter's love life (even if she's not in a relationship with Robin, not really).

"You're fidgeting," Cora's voice interrupts her thoughts, and that's when Regina realizes she's restlessly toying with her fingers as she rests her hands on her lap (for lack of something better to do under the critical eye of Cora Mills). She should be used to it by now, she scolds herself, this is not the first time she is subject to an interrogation by her own mother.

"Well, that's probably because you dragged me into my office, you are sitting on _my_ chair, and you are staring at me, clearly judging me."

She doesn't even wait for her mother's response, just walks out of the room, returning a few minutes later with a cup of hot coffee in her hands.

"I was not-"

"You were," Regina sips her drink, taking a seat on the couch instead of the chair in front of her mother. This is _her_ office, _her_ space, she won't let Cora take control.

Just as she was expecting, her mother occupies the seat beside her after a few moments of silence, and well… this is better, not quite intimidating.

"I just think you can do better, sweetheart, that man-"

"Is my friend, and you don't get to insult him, or judge him," Regina interrupts, surprisingly shutting her mother.

At least for a few moments.

"Well, maybe if I got to know him, I-"

Regina scoffs, can't help it. Who her mother thinks she is to believe she has the right to even ask to meet Robin?

"You're joking."

"I'm not," Cora replies, more seriously than Regina expected, "If he's already spending time with my grandsons, I think I have the right to meet him."

Regina looks down at her coffee, her head shaking in disbelief. Robin is not her boyfriend, and even if he was, she wouldn't allow her mother to believe she has a say in her private life. That time was over the moment Regina went to college. She got where she is without the help of her mother, and that is how it should remain.

"Why? Because you want to control my life?" Regina bites, and she notices the outrageous look on her mother's face at her words, "Or because you genuinely care about who gets to spend time with _my_ sons? I'm sorry, mother, but either way, you won't get what you want."

She thinks she got her for a moment, judging be the look on Cora's face. She looks… shocked, to say the least, but this is her mother they are talking about, and of course she wouldn't give in so easily.

Straightening her back, Cora takes a deep breath, her voice almost maternal when she starts speaking, "Regina, I know you think of me as some… evil person, who wants to control everything, but _I do_ care about you, and I'm just trying to make sure you will not make the same mistake you already made twice. I know you love Henry and Dylan, but your life could have turned out so much differently, you shouldn't have to be a single mother, who-"

"My sons are not a mistake!" Regina defends, anger boiling inside her. How can her mother think like this? How can she be so heartless? There's not even a speck of affection with her own grandsons, Regina already knew this, but hearing her saying it… "Henry might not have been planned, but I love him regardless, and Dylan certainly isn't guilty of his father's death."

There's silence for a second, and Regina wishes her mother wasn't sitting right across from her, clearly aware of the tears that now gather in Regina's lashes. God, this is exactly what she didn't want to happen, being vulnerable in front of her mother, almost seeing the pity in Cora's eyes. She wished she had a mother who would comfort her despite everything, who would wrap her arms around her body and whisper comfort words in her ear. But that's not who her mother is, and she counts herself lucky when she feels Cora's hand running up and down her arm.

"I'm sorry, I didn't mean to bring back those memories," her mother says, and maybe that's true, but she is not entirely innocent either. She knows how much it hurts to talk about Daniel, knows how his death changed Regina's whole world, and she still insists to give her the 'I told you' talk. Alright, she already knows Cora didn't support their relationship, knows her mother never believed Daniel would be able to support their family, but they made it work, until the day Daniel never returned home.

She lets herself get lost in the memories of that day for a moment. It was a rainy day, and Dylan had never been so grumpy. Daniel was working an extra shift at delivering pizzas, a good opportunity to earn a bit more money while he was still waiting to receive his qualification that would allow him to become a riding instructor. He had worked so much. Had studied, and worked, and had done everything on his own since the moment they discovered Regina was pregnant with Dylan. So he definitely didn't deserve what happened in that faithful day. He should've seen that stupid, drunk driver-

"Regina," her mother interrupts her thoughts, firmly holding the brunette's shaking hands, "Are you alright-"

"You should go," she says quickly, "I want to be left alone."

But mother is mother, and of course she won't give in without a fight.

"Please, Regina, talk to me-"

"Get out!" she replies, more sharply than she first anticipated, but it always has to be this way with mother, isn't it?

She takes a sip of the hot coffee almost forgotten in her hands, and takes a deep breath. God, it's been a while since she felt like this, she thought she was already better when it comes to deal with Daniel's death, but apparently not. She needs her mother to go away, she doesn't even wants to know what brought her there in the first place.

She sighs in relief when she hears the door close behind Cora, and for the first time that day, she is thankful for the silence that settles around her office. It's obvious she won't get anything done for today, and so if she trades an afternoon full of boring paperwork for some well-deserved time to herself, who can really blame her?

###

It's well after seven when she arrives to pick up the boys, after scolding herself the whole drive to Robin's house, considering she had promised him she would be ready to retrieve her kids before dinner.

She had completely lost track of time. She thinks it was between the bubble bath and the single glass of wine, she allowed herself to enjoy, before realizing she should be on her way to Robin's house by then. It's not that it bothers him, she knows it doesn't, but she feels so comfortable with Robin, she trusts him with her life, and there's no doubt (after the conversation she had with her mother today) that that can be dangerous - they can throw it all away if this reaches Marian.

Apart from that, Robin looks perfectly content when he opens the door to welcome her into his house. He's carrying Dylan in one arm, who looks more ready to sleep than really to have dinner (and whose fault is that?), and he's showing that dimpled smile of his, his free hand grabbing hers to urge her to step inside the cozy foyer.

"Sorry," she grins, an awkward smile, but it gets more genuine when she feels Robin squeezing the hand he is still holding, "I'm late."

"That you are," Robin agrees easily, which takes Regina a bit by surprise, even if she doesn't believe he's really bothered by her delay. Maybe she overstepped, maybe he has somewhere else to be, maybe she should've called him when she knew she would have the rest of her day off, "You just missed a delicious meal of mac n' cheese, perfectly cooked by your older boy."

She smiles then, almost relieved, she should've known Robin wasn't really mad about the additional half an hour he had to look after the boys. She imagines Henry would've complained with hungry by now, so of course Robin had come up with something to cook for their dinner.

"I hope you supervised this," she teases, relishing in the laugh that comes from the blue-eyed man.

"Of course I did, though I think we underestimate him sometimes. He did pretty well for himself, I only had to intervene when was time to put it in the oven."

She feels a warm feeling spreading inside her chest at how proud she feels of her little boy (he's not so little anymore, he's eleven, she has to remind herself), but she still feels guilty that she hadn't been present to try his food.

"Any chance that you saved something for me?" she asks with an innocent tilt of her head, and an exaggerated pout that makes Robin chuckle at the sight.

"I'm sorry, love, but I'm afraid the boys were hungrier than I thought."

He finally releases her hand to scratch the back of his neck, looking guilty as ever. _Yeah, blame the boys,_ Regina muses in her head, but a wide smile grows on her red lips.

"Well, maybe I can cook something for you?"

She clears her throat at his invitation, her gaze suddenly dropping to her feet, the air growing thicker by the minute. Shit. They can't do this. She likes Robin, a lot. And he likes her too, but the situation is too complicated, and she can't risk that the next person who runs into them is his ex-wife, who is currently fighting to win his son's custody.

She must keep a safe distance from Robin, which means no afternoons together, no play dates, and definitely no dinners over at each other's house.

"I'm sorry, maybe we should-"

"Absolutely, of course, I… I'm sorry."

Regina's heart shatters at his apologies, because it's not his fault. She just wants to change the subject, and hopefully get out of there before they say/do something they might regret later.

"So… how was the afternoon with the boys?"

And what better than talk about her sons?

"It was great," Robin tells her, her arms stretching to pick up Dylan from his arms, as the baby boy places his head in the crook of his mother's shoulder, his eyes heavy with sleep, "We burned a lot of energy, we saw the boats, and you won't believe this, but I managed to talk Henry out of the ice cream for today."

She chuckles a little at that, actually impressed – it's good to know Robin can set some boundaries once in a while, despite the newness that is his father and son relationship with the older boy.

"That's good," she encourages with a smile, "He may get upset at first, but it's important to set some rules from the beginning."

Robin nods at that, puts his hands in his pockets, and she worries that they may have run out of safe topics, but Robin saves her from that thought when he asks, "What about your day?"

 _Her day_ , she thinks with a huff of breath, she was actually trying to avoid _that_ topic.

"It was… eventful," she admits, sighing when she notices the frown on Robin's face, "My mother paid me a visit in the office."

"In the office?"

She nods her head at his question, and she knows what he is thinking, may as well end with his misery at once, "She saw us when you went to pick up the kids."

"Christ," he mutters almost to himself, running his hands through his sandy blonde hair, at the same time Regina peeks into the living room to find Henry focused on the cartoons on TV. Thank God for small blessings, he seems too distracted to pick on her conversation with his father.

Still, she won't risk being overheard.

She gestures with her eyes towards the living room, breathing a sigh of relief when Robin nods his head in agreement. This is not the place, nor the time, to discuss this. They have plenty of time to do that later, it's not like her mother will do something about the fact that she thinks her daughter keeps a relationship with Robin. They just have to be more careful.

"We can't keep doing this, next time it can be Marian," Regina points out, her voice only a whisper.

"I know," Robin sighs, lowering his head in defeat. When he looks at her again, she notices the struggle in his eyes, the battle between choosing the time with Henry, or the custody of his younger boy, "I can't walk away from Henry now, what can I do?"

"I know, I know, you won't, I… I will think of something," Regina assures, because Henry deserves the time with his father, he has already been deprived of those moments for far too long. Ten years apart from each other is a long time, "I can drop him at your house, but you can't pick him up at my office, or any other public space, it's safer this way."

He agrees easily with her plan, it's the best he can do, but she notices the outrage in his expression, the way his brow furrows, or how his jaw tightens at her words, "I know this is unfair-"

"Try a bullshit," Robin interrupts her, angry now, and he has every right to be, because he is being prevented from being with his sons, and she knows that it's partially her fault, "If you had just told me about Henry all those years ago-"

"I know," she stops him, "And I said I was sorry-"

"I accepted your apologies, but right now, they are not doing much for my situation."

She sees the regret in his eyes as soon as the words are out of his mouth. He didn't mean it, but it didn't hurt less. She's been struggling with what she did for eleven years now, always wondering how her life could have been different if he had known, how Henry could've had his father just like any other boy his age.

She chooses not to argue anymore, afraid Henry may overhear them, and maybe she should just go, right now her presence is not doing them any good.

"I'm going to the lake house with the boys this weekend," she tells him with the evidence of a lump in her throat, while Robin keeps his gaze on the sleeping boy in Regina's arms, "You can just call me if you want to talk to Henry."

"Alright," he follows her without another word, as she makes her way towards the living room, where Henry is already waiting for them.

"Henry, are you ready?"

She wraps her free arm around his shoulders as the boy nods his head in response, but it doesn't escape her the frown on her older son's face. He knows that something happened between his parents, maybe he is oblivious to the entire argument, but there's a tension in the air that doesn't go unnoticed by the wise boy.

When Henry doesn't question it, Regina breathes a sigh of relief and makes their way towards her car, a genuine ' _Thank you'_ are the last words that come out of her mouth, as she closes the door behind her and leaves Robin with his own thoughts.

* * *

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	21. Chapter 21

Chapter 21.

He remembers it like it was yesterday. The first time he kissed Regina, his best friend at the time, who had never kissed a boy in her life and had a crush on one of their senior colleagues.

He had asked her on a date, and Robin couldn't be happier for her. She was such an amazing girl, this guy didn't even know how lucky he was.

Robin had met her earlier that day, had offered to help her get ready, clearly aware of how nervous she was about having this date with her senior crush (he remembers her distress when was time to choose something to wear, even though Robin would assure she looked beautiful in whatever dress she choose – this guy would fall in love as soon as he looked into her brown eyes, the most beautiful and innocent eyes he had seen in his entire life…)

And then the conversation had shifted to their first kisses, and everything had changed from then. He couldn't believe when she told him she had never kissed a boy before – of course, she had changed a quick peck with a friend during one of those childish games, but never a _real_ kiss, one with feeling or emotion – he didn't know at first, but that was about to change.

He'd been completely taken by surprise when she asked him to show her, with that sheepish, but not less sweet voice, that granted her everything she wanted. Was it really a good idea? Robin didn't see any harm at the time (they were friends, after all, and it was just a kiss), but he quickly realized the mistake they made when he couldn't get Regina out of his mind.

The kiss had been… everything he dreamed of. Tender and affectionate, and he still smiles when he remembers the tiny moan that escaped her throat when he sucked a bit harder on that upper lip.

Shit. He really ruined everything last night, didn't he?

He's awake from his reverie by the sound of his alarm echoing through the room – he doesn't even know why he set the alarm in first place, it's not like he has someplace to be in the next few hours. Nevertheless, he gets out of bed and makes his way towards the kitchen, deciding that a cup of coffee will do him no harm.

He's a bloody idiot. He had spoiled everything with Regina, again. Maybe they are not destined to be together, maybe he should just be a part of her life from afar. Just like in college, when he had to watch her walk hand-in-hand with that senior prat, who had broken her heart just because she wasn't ready to take their relationship to the next level. He didn't deserve her, and maybe he doesn't deserve her as well. He just wished he could go back in time, before he could have said something that he clearly regrets the next morning.

With a sigh, he sits on one of the benches at the counter, relishing in the comfort the hot beverages provides.

He needs to figure his life. And he knows just where to start.

###

Marian is home, he's relieved to know that, he thought she might be working today, so it's a good thing when he spots her car parked in the driveway, her small Citroen cleaned and shining, just as he so well remembers every each of her cars to be.

He rings her doorbell two times, and waits as his ex-wife opens the door. She doesn't seem happy to see him, to say the least, but again, when was the last time Marian looked less than annoyed by Robin's presence? There's a lot going on between them, and to say the truth, Robin is not thrilled to be here as well, but they _need_ to talk, they _need_ to figure things, for Roland's sake if not for theirs.

Robin waits for her to say something – she keeps staring at him with those wide brown eyes, a frown on her face as if asking what he is doing there, at her door. He wonders if this was a bad idea, she already told him she didn't want to reach an agreement, but he needs to try, it would make everyone's lives so much easier.

"Can I have a moment?" Robin asks, and Marian finally moves, taking a step back to let him further into her house, "We need to talk."

"I thought you said everything you wanted last time you were here," she bites back, closing the door behind him and walking towards the living room.

Right… their talk about Keith. It's not his fault if she doesn't see the prick her boyfriend is, but he's not here to talk about her fiancée, he couldn't care less about that man, he is here to talk about their son, the main priority right now.

"I want to reach an agreement… for Roland," Robin explains, his voice firm, because this is their last chance before one of them loses everything in court. And he knows Marian wants the best for their son, she is his mother, for God's sake, he can't understand why she wants to leave the decision in a stranger's hands. The judge doesn't know Roland like they do, he doesn't know Roland at all, is his parent's responsibility to choose the best for their little boy, "Please, Marian-"

"No," she scoffs, shaking her head, "You're just afraid because you know you'll lose."

"I really don't."

He doesn't. Because he can't believe Marian will win the custody - the full custody, at least - she doesn't have anything to prove he is not capable of being a good father for the boy.

"Then we'll go to court, and we'll see."

Stupid. It was so stupid of him to think this would work, "We should try, Marian, think of Roland. One week with each other, shared decisions, it's more than fair-"

"What about the costs?" she asks, her voice raising in the process, "The daycare, the medical expenses-"

"We will share. I'll help with that as long as we have shared custody, or do you think I would pay you every month, if you had the full custody, when you don't even let me see my son?" She must be crazy if she thinks he would let that happen. He's not a bank. And Roland needs his father, why can't she see that? "Would you really push me away from Roland?"

Marian stops at that, taken aback. She's not a heartless person, he knows she wants the best for Roland, he really believes she does. This is not the Marian he knows, but it has to be there somewhere. She can't have changed that much.

Maybe he is right, he muses as he sees Marian's expression softening, her frown disappearing as she takes a deep breath. Good, maybe he still has a chance to change things, maybe they can make this work.

"No," she mutters almost inaudible, but that's fine, he heard just the same.

"So why can't we just share?"

He sighs when Marian shakes her head, building that wall around her all over again, "We can't even talk without yelling to each other, Robin, it's just… easier this way," she admits, returning to her stubborn and unreasonable self.

"How's that even fair-"

"What's going on here?" they turn around to see Keith standing in the doorway, taking small steps until he can wrap his arm possessively around Marian as he places a kiss on the brunette's temple. Idiot. Robin was hopeful that he was working, the last thing he needs is facing his ex-wife's fiancée right now, "What is he doing here?"

"We're in a middle of a conversation about _our_ son, if you could give us some privacy," Robin retorts quickly, but the man stays immobile in his spot, eyeing Robin with a smirk on his lips. Christ, he really has no patience for this right now, if he could just leave.

"Well, if that's true, where's that pretty lawyer of yours?"

"I bet you would like to know, don't you?-" Robin is startled by the feeling of Keith's fist colliding with his face. He can ear Marian's yell of ' _Keith!_ ' as he returns to his senses, covering his nose with his hands as he straights himself just in time to hear the idiot one more time.

"You're the one sleeping with her, mate, what did you think? She would help you win the custody more easily?"

This time, is Robin's hand who hits Keith right in his jaw – he knows it is a mistake as soon as he does it, but he can't just control himself when it comes to this guy, would do it again if it wasn't for the consequences that can come from his action, "I'm not sleeping with her!"

"Enough!"

Marian's voice echoes through the room, drawing both men's attention to her as she turns her head to face Robin. Shit, he's screwed, "Get out."

"Marian, wait-"

"Out!"

He nods to let her know he doesn't mean to fight, throwing a last glance at the other man before heading towards the door. He was so close. So close to convincing her to agree on shared custody. But here he is again, alone, and far away from getting what he wants.

###

His nose hurts, and his cheek, and he thinks he might have a bruise tomorrow, but he couldn't care less, because that's the least of his problems right now. He probably just lost his chances of winning Roland's custody due to his behavior, and now he will have to tell Regina, and he couldn't be more terrified.

Not of her – never of her, he knows he can tell her everything – but he is afraid she will confirm what he already knows: this is bad, and one more card for Marian to play against him.

So he delays it. Eats lunch, cleans the house, and tells himself he doesn't want to ruin her weekend with her sons. Bullshit. She will give him a piece of her mind if he hides this from her, and he knows it.

Nevertheless, it's only around dinner time when he gathers the courage to pick up the phone and press her name on the screen. She picks up in less than three rings, her gentle voice easing his worries for a moment with a simple, "Hello?"

"Hi… can we talk for a minute?" he asks without wasting more time, taking a seat on the couch in the living room.

He hears the sound of water running before Regina can give him an answer, and then there are pots hitting the marble counter, and he wonders if this was really a good time to be bothering her with this issue.

"Yes, of course," she tells him, explaining, "I was just finishing cooking dinner."

Oh, so that's it.

He gets lost in his thoughts thinking how casual and carefree she must look as she enjoys her weekend with the boys, how beautiful she must be without any makeup covering her stunning features. Shit, what he wouldn't give to see her right now, without a care in the world as she enjoys her time away from the messy reality.

"So, what did you want to talk about?" she interrupts his daydream, and right… there's no point in delaying the inevitable, is it?

Robin sighs, and tells her, "I went to see Marian today."

And then there's silent.

He can't hear any noise coming from the other end, and it makes him even more nervous. He knows Regina won't judge him, but he also knows she won't be happy to hear about what happened at his ex-wife's house, "I thought I would try to convince her to reach an agreement about Roland's custody. I was really committed to talking to her about it, without arguing or fighting, but the whole thing went right down the drain when her bastard of a boyfriend showed up… We might have changed a few punches in the meantime."

He regrets his words as soon as they're out of his mouth, because it's not like he couldn't have waited till Monday to tell her about this. It's a bit selfish, he knows that (he won't lie and say he didn't want someone to talk about this with), but what's done it's done, and he knows Regina appreciates his honesty about everything concerning his case.

Even so, the only thing that comes from her mouth is a defeated 'Robin…' as he pictures her face in his mind, a grimace he would very much love to keep away from her stunning features.

"I know, love, and I'm sorry," he tells her, because what can he really say at this moment? He runs his hand through his own sandy blonde hair, even more remorseful for having fallen in Keith's ambush, as he addresses her one more time, "We don't have to talk about it now, I just thought I would let you know, but we can deal with this next week, when you're back from your weekend with boys, I didn't want-"

"God, Robin, I wish you were here," she takes him by surprise with her words – he was not really expecting to hear this, was already preparing himself to face the adorable, but no less, intimidating Regina Mills' rage. He doesn't miss the tiny chuckle that leaves her throat on the other side, another thing he didn't believe he would hear today, "I should've listened to Henry when he begged me to invite you this weekend. I thought it was a bad idea, but at least you wouldn't have picked a fight with your ex-wife's fiancée."

He laughs a little at that, at the accuracy of her words, so maybe it wasn't such a bad idea to call her after all, he is already feeling better about the whole thing, "Do you think there's still time…"

Regina chuckles, and he can almost picture her biting her lip in that enticing way of hers, as she tells him, "Henry would be thrilled."

He's not really sure what they are playing here right now, but he feels a leap of anticipation at what it could mean. It's not fair, he doesn't want to intrude in her weekend with the kids, but talking about some time away with the woman he's currently head over heels in love with and her two sons (one of them he shares with said woman), how could he refuse?

"I'm sure we would be able to behave, you know, if you want to, of course."

For a moment, he's glad he is home alone, because he's sure he would be mocked about the huge smile that forms on his lips. But they have to be reasonable here, and is it really a good idea to spend a weekend with Regina when they _know_ they should keep a distance from each other?

On the other hand, they are friends, and it's not like someone would see them in the middle of nowhere. They would be away from the city, away from prying eyes, and Christ, he is a weak man, because he finds himself nodding his head, unable of saying no to both Regina and their son, "Tease, you know I can't say no to Henry." (Nor to Regina, but he doesn't have to admit that, he's sure she knows it already).

"For Henry," he hears the smile on her voice, which tells him this is not entirely the boy's fault, he was already convinced that his father wouldn't share the weekend with them.

"Send me the address to the house?"

"I will," she tells him, before she hangs up.

It's not much later that he receives the message with the address, and a quick note of ' _Don't ring the bell, the boys will probably be asleep by the time you get here, just text,_ ' and it's suddenly clear why this is a bad idea.

This is not keeping distance, but does he really want to do that?

###

Almost three hours later, the boys are tucked asleep in their beds, and Regina lets herself get comfortable on the wooden chaise lounge, just looking at the stars, a thin blanket wrapped around her just to keep the cool wind of the night from reaching her bones.

She frowns. Robin should be here by now, the drive doesn't take more than two hours, two hours and half at most. She checks her phone one more time, searching for any missing texts, but there is none. Why is he taking so long? Or maybe she's just being a bit more impatient than she should. Sure enough, he had to get things ready to spend the weekend away from home, pack a suitcase, it's not like he was expecting her to invite him to spend the weekend with her and the boys at the lake house.

She startles a little when fifteen minutes later her phone buzzes from beside her, a message of Robin displayed on the screen where he tells her he is at her door (or at least he hopes he is). She laughs a little at that, wraps the blanket around her body as she walks towards the front door, and there he is, standing on the porch, a black backpack slung over his right shoulder.

"I'm sorry, it took me a little bit to find this place," he tells her, looking around at the trees that surround the property. Alright, she can admit that the house can be tricky to find if you don't know the place, "It's beautiful."

She nods her head, takes a step back to welcome him into the house before closing the door behind him. It's when she turns on the light of the hallway that she notices the purple bruise forming just below his eye, and she feels a wave of anger at the man who did this to him, wanting nothing more than to have a conversation with Marian's fiancée herself.

She reaches out to cup his cheek and run her thumb over the forming bruise - it makes Robin step closer, his left hand wrapping around her wrist affectionately, "It was stupid, I shouldn't have-"

She cuts him off with a shake of her head, her fury certainly not directed at Robin at this moment. He's not a violent person, she knows this, whatever Keith did, or say, it must have been serious for Robin to pick up a fight.

She offers him a gentle smile and runs her hand down his arm until she grips it firmly in her own, "Can we go outside, I don't want to wake up the boys."

She was not really expecting him to answer, but he nods his head anyway, letting her lead him towards the backyard, where she had been waiting for him to arrive. She had left the lamp outside switched on, the faint glimmer letting them have a view of the property, the newly renovated stable peeking from behind the thick woods.

She watches as his eyes shift to the building, interested, it seems, and she imagines them riding a horse, running away from reality and into a future together.

"I really didn't want to spoil your weekend with them," she hears Robin's voice in her daydream, pulling her back to reality.

"Oh… you didn't," Regina assures, focusing her attention on him as she finally asks, "What happened?"

She takes a seat beside him on the chaise lounge when she notices his hands pressed into clenched fists. She doesn't even hesitate before placing her hand over his, her thumb running soothing patterns over the back of his wrist, "He started making insinuations, but I was not the one to throw the first punch."

Regina frowns, thinking. She might have an idea what this is about, "Is this about us?"

"No-" he rushes to assure, but he can't really hide this from her, can he? "Well, yes, but nothing I can't deal with, I promise. We knew this would happen-"

"What did he say?" she asks, leaving her seat beside him.

Shit, they're playing with fire. And what did she do? Invited him to spend the weekend with her and her sons. What was she thinking?

He lets out a sigh at her question, and leaves his seat to move in her direction, stopping just behind Regina. She can feel his warm breath near her neck, his hand stopping tentatively on her waist, but she doesn't protest, doesn't push him away as she should.

Instead, she feels him take a step closer, the heat of his body warming her back, as his thumb draws lazy patterns on her hip and his lips press a chaste and perfectly innocent kiss to the top of her head. She sighs, thinking how right this feels when the time couldn't be more wrong. They could've had _everything_. A relationship, a life, kids, they could've been so happy.

"He accused me of sleeping with you for the sake of Roland's custody. Asked me if I thought I would get an advantage if I did."

"That's ridiculous," Regina scoffs, wondering if that man could be more absurd. She hates him. She hates what he did to Robin, she hates that he gets to be part of Roland's life, probably more than his own father. It's stupid. And unfair. And she wished she could do something about it.

She feels Robin's hand tightening his grip on her hip, grounding her, and she notices how tense she got just thinking about it, she can understand why Robin lost his sense and did what he did, "I know, as if I needed a reason to sleep with you."

She lets out a breathy chuckle at his words, instantly relaxing under his hold, "If anything, it would only bring you more problems," she turns to look at him, "Look at us. If I could be with you, I…"

"I know, love," he moves his hand to cup her face, tucking a piece of hair behind her ear, "But we have to wait, right? Or we could just… take advantage of the weekend?"

She rolls her eyes when he leans in closer to her, a smile on her lips nonetheless as she bumps her nose with his, taking a step back and away from his grip when he tries to press his lips to hers.

He lets out a groan of disappointment at her escape, and she giggles when he pouts, those deep, blue eyes, staring at her with mock outrage, "I should show you to your room."

"Please do," he tells her provocatively, earning another laugh from her as she grabs his hand and leads him upstairs.

She presses her forefinger to her lips when they reach the second floor, letting him know the boys are sleeping in the next two bedrooms, and she really wants to surprise Henry in the morning, so they have to be silent, "I'm here with Dylan if you need something," she points to the door across from his, "And Henry's bedroom is down the hall. I can show you the house tomorrow."

"Don't worry about that," he smiles, thanking her one more time for the opportunity she's giving him.

And then she presses a quick kiss to his cheek, tells him, "Goodnight," and opens the door to her bedroom, leaving a beaming and astounded Robin on the doorway.

###

Robin wakes up with a smile on his face, and a sense of calm he hasn't felt in a very long time.

He can hear the birds chirping outside the window, the sunlight warming the bedroom and waking him up from his deep slumber.

He could really wake up to this every day. Especially knowing the brunette sleeping in the room across from his.

The house is still quiet, which lets him know that everyone else is probably still asleep. He thinks about Regina all curled up and relaxed under the covers, and Henry still pretty much in the land of dreams, obviously oblivious to his father's presence in the house.

He should do something for them, he muses, at least try to help Regina instead of being just a burden for the whole weekend. He knows she would tell him that he's being ridiculous, that he is not a five-year-old child she would have to keep an eye on during their stay in the house, but he wants help, wants to thank her properly.

So he tosses off the covers and slips out of bed, puts on one of his white tank tops and tiptoes his way towards the kitchen, careful to not wake up anybody else in the process.

He had managed to steal a glance at the kitchen the night before, but he clearly didn't get a proper view. The whole room is beautiful. There's a large window looking over the lake, with a wooden table right beside it, and there's a long island in the middle of the large room. God, the view is what captivates him the most, no wonder Regina escapes here to have some peace and quiet. It's gorgeous, with the lake on one side, the forest on the other, he could see himself living here every day-

"Robin?"

His heart jumps out of his chest when he hears a sleepy voice calling him from the doorway, and he turns around to find Henry staring at him with a confused look on his face, his hazel eyes studying him with interest.

Christ, he has no idea if Regina wanted to be the one to explain to her son why his father is here… Well, too late now.

"What are you doing here?"

"Surprise," Robin tells him with a lot less enthusiasm than he should feel right now. He really didn't want to spoil this for Regina, but it was a risk when he came snooping around downstairs, wasn't it?

"Cool! Are you spending the weekend with us?" Henry asks, closing what's left of the distance between him and the blue-eyed man.

"I… guess I am. Are you hungry?" Robin opens the fridge to study their options (and in an attempt to shift the conversation to something else) – there are eggs, milk, juice, and he turns around towards the island to see a bowl of fruit decorating the countertop, well, he thinks he knows what he is going to be cooking today, "Scrambled eggs?"

"Can I have juice too?"

He doesn't think Regina would be too bothered about it, so he nods his head and tells Henry to pour himself a cup, "But I think your mother will prefer a cup of coffee, don't you think?"

"Definitely."

He smiles as he starts on said coffee, always keeping an eye on the boy as he carries the juice and the glasses to the table. There's something about cooking breakfast with Henry that makes his heart swell with happiness – and doing this for Regina, no less – it makes him imagine them as a family, just spending a weekend away from everyone, with Roland, of course, that would make everything even better. He would love it. Maybe they can do this later, when he will be free of courts and fights with his ex-wife.

He reaches for the eggs in the fridge, at the same time Henry offers to make them some toasts. It will go well with the eggs, the boy argues, and who is Robin to disagree?

Fifteen minutes later, the breakfast is properly set on the table, and Robin is cutting the last pieces of fruit when they hear the sound of footsteps on the stairs, and a sleepy Regina entering in the kitchen a moment later.

She looks even more beautiful in the morning, if that's possible. Dark brown tousled curls framing her face, no sign of makeup, and a relaxed expression marking her features as she hugs Dylan close to her chest. He likes to see her like this, he wished he could see her every morning.

Robin smiles when she wraps her arm around Henry and greets him with a kiss on his temple, right before she stops beside him, stealing a piece of orange and popping it into her mouth.

"What's all this?" she asks with a smile, her teeth trapping her bottom lip as her brown eyes stare at blue ones, "Henry should be the one being surprised, not me."

He knows she's not mad, but it still feels wrong for Robin. Maybe he should've waited for her, they could've left the breakfast for tomorrow, "I'm sorry, I thought I would help, and he caught me red-handed."

"I thought you said Robin couldn't come," Henry interrupts, and Regina moves to take a seat beside her older son, mug with coffee in hand.

"It was supposed to be a surprise," it wasn't, not really, at least until the night before, but Henry doesn't need to know that, and her excuse seems to be good enough for the boy.

Henry just shrugs his shoulders, taking another bite from his toast, and it seems they ran out of topics, at least until they are all sited at the table, and Henry looks at Robin to ask, "What's that on your face?"

Well, that question would appear, eventually. He just wasn't ready to talk about it at breakfast.

He steals a glance at Regina, her gaze letting him know she's curious to see how he will explain his bruise to his son, "This was something foolish," Robin takes a sip of his own juice, "Done by a dumb person trying to pick up a fight."

He watches Henry frown at that, he imagines Regina raised him well enough for him to know that they shouldn't solve their problems with their fists, but he can see the boy thinking, and soon enough he asks what Robin was already expecting, "You got in a fight with someone? Why?"

"Not a fight," Robin corrects, because it was only one punch. That's probably not even the point, but he won't let his son think he is violent, or that he is in favor of using his fists to work things out, "He hit me first, and then said some bad things that are not true, and I got _really_ mad. But that's not an excuse for what we did. There's always another way of fixing everything."

"That's what my mom says."

"And she's right."

Henry focuses his attention back on the breakfast, takes another bite of his food (the scrambled eggs, this time), but he's still thinking, still brooding over the issue, and it's normal that he is curious, but he really doesn't want to give the boy too many details, "What did this person say to you?"

"Nothing you need to worry about," Robin is quick to answer, to Regina's clear relief, "Now, how about we finish this food, so we can go for a swim in the lake?"

Henry beams at that, and Regina chuckles, nodding discreetly at him from across the table, her voice cheerful when she tells them, "That's a really good idea."

###

It turns out Henry wants to show him the stables first. And maybe even go for a ride.

It's that part that doesn't sit well with Regina, always thinking that riding a horse was something he used to do with Daniel, and she doesn't think she's ready to witness him sharing that with someone else. It's selfish, she knows that, and she keeps trying to smile, a forced grin for the sake of the boy, but she really didn't want to deal with this today.

"Are you alright?" Robin asks as he walks beside her, lowering his voice so only Regina can hear.

"I'm fine," she assures, when clearly, she is not.

She isn't naïve enough to think Robin will believe in her lie, but she hopes he won't question her any further, something that clearly won't happen when he asks, "Is it something I did?"

"God, Robin, no," she sighs, and it's not, it's really not Robin's fault that she feels like this, it's nobody's actually. It's even understandable that Henry wants to go ride with his parents, if not for the reason that he just gets to ride a horse when they spend time _here_.

So that's why this is selfish. Because she can't tell her son that he can't go for a ride with his father, because his mother is still mourning Daniel's death and is not sure she can witness him sharing a good moment with Robin.

"I just don't feel like doing this today."

Robin doesn't answer, but she watches as he runs to catch up with Henry, telling him something Regina can't understand from where she stands a few feet away. The next thing she knows, they both come running back to the house, Robin whispering, "I promised him we could ride tomorrow," and well, it's not like a day will change her mind, but she can talk to him later, right now, she only wants to enjoy what's left of their day.

###

He's an amazing father, carefully spreading a fair amount of sunscreen over baby skin when Regina finds them by the lake, basket with their lunch in hand.

She thought this was a good idea, an afternoon at the lake with just Robin and the boys, but she quickly finds the flaw in the whole plan when her eyes shift to Robin's body, all gorgeous and accessible for everyone to see.

God, this is dangerous. He has an amazing body, toned enough that she has to fight the urge to run her hands over his tanned chest, especially with two pairs of young eyes studying her every move. His blonde hair glows with every ray of sunshine that hits his face, and he has that dimpled smile on his lips, widening just a little further when she stops in front of him and says, "I hope you managed to convince your son to do the same."

"Of course," Robin assures, tossing the sunscreen beside him on the towel, "And this little man is ready too."

Regina smiles, and places her own towel beside her baby boy. Can he stop being so amazing? It's clearly not helping Regina keeping her crush under control.

"Thank you," she tells him, before getting rid of her clothes and laying on her belly in an attempt to soak up a bit of sun.

She opens her eyes to find Robin staring at her without an ounce of shame, his blue eyes studying her body, the corners of his lips tilting up in a teasing smirk.

Idiot, she smiles, deciding that she can allow him to stare for a while. He shouldn't, but Henry is clearly entertained, too busy playing on the water to pay attention to his parents.

So she gives him a few more minutes to enjoy the view, but she probably needs to end this before it gets too far, so she finds herself laughing, and asking him, "What?"

Robin shakes his head, tells her, "I don't think you should be sunbathing without putting any sunblock too."

"Oh, you would think that, don't you?" she teases back. They might be heading in a dangerous direction.

She can only imagine what will come next, and soon enough, Robin nods his head, tells her, "Yeah," and reaches for the bottle of oil in the bag, offering, "I can help you with that, if you want."

She really, _really_ , should say no. She doesn't need Robin touching every inch of her body to send her into overdrive, that's the last thing she needs. But then she feels him approaching, taking a seat beside Dylan on the towel alongside hers, and how can she refuse his offer? It's just a bit of sunscreen after all, it's totally innocent, "If you don't mind."

She closes her eyes when she feels Robin's oily hands moving over her back, spreading the lotion over her spine, shoulders, and shifting down to cover her upper arms too. She sighs relaxed at the contact, something almost inaudible – or at least she thinks it is, until she hears Robin chuckling, moving his hands to apply some pressure on her lower back. When did this turn into a massage? Not that she is complaining.

She opens one eye to find Robin smiling down at her, and she notices that his body is strategically placed to block her older son's view of his hands – not that they are doing something wrong, or inappropriate, but she finds she's thankful for the privacy, knowing she won't have to deal with Henry's questions later in the day.

"You planned this, don't you?" she murmurs, with no heat in her voice.

Robin doesn't answer, just continues his work with his hands, slipping underneath the stripes of her white bikini, his fingertips brushing slightly the side of her breasts, causing her to gasp in surprise at the movement.

It's gone as quickly as it appeared, and she smiles when he murmurs, "Sorry," before moving his hands towards her legs.

Tease.

He takes time massaging the back of her thighs, pressing his thumb over her tight muscle, and just giving her a moment to relax.

It's good. It's not a turn-on as she thought it could be, or at least, it is not in this situation, when she has her older son swimming in the water a few meters of where she lies in the towel, or when she has her two-year-old playing just beside them on the grass.

Speaking of which, she feels little hands patting the small of her back, bringing her back to reality, and pieces of cold grass falling on her shoulders.

"I think your time to relax is up, love," Robin laughs, running his hand affectionately over Dylan's hair.

"Mama, water!"

Regina chuckles, stretching her hand out to her son as she stands up from her seat, "C'mon, sweetheart."

Henry moans a bored "What took you so long?" when she approaches the edge, but it's quickly replaced with a laugh as Robin jumps into the lake, purposely splashing water everywhere to taunt Regina, she's sure.

She could live like this every day, just watching Henry and Robin laughing and playing together, and Dylan's contagious smile as his eyes shift between his brother and the blue-eyed man.

They can have this, she tells herself, just a bit more time and they can have everything.

* * *

 **Hope you like this chapter, let me know what you think! :)**


	22. Chapter 22

**Hi, guys, I thought it was time to give you an update and I think this chapter is long enough. We are about to take a step forward in Robin and Regina's relationship, enjoy :)**

* * *

Chapter 22.

Today has been… a good day, to be honest, that's what crosses Regina's mind as she sits on the couch in the living room, both her sons tucked comfortably under their mother's affectionate grip.

Happiness can't quite describe what she's feeling right now. With both her boys sleeping against her chest, and Robin's dimples in full display as he smiles at her from the other side of the room.

For the first time in the past few months, she doesn't feel guilty, nor Robin seems to feel that way. They just look happy. Here. Together. Against everything that seems to be reason enough to keep them apart.

For today, she will just allow herself to be happy, without caring about the consequences. They are here, alone, and there's no possible way for them to be seen together. It feels good to be able to live inside this bubble even if it's just for these two days. It's good to know they are safe, away from prying eyes, away from selfish ex-wives and crazy fiancées.

Her attention is diverted from her thoughts when she sees Robin standing from his seat, silently making his way towards the balcony. Regina frowns, making sure both boys stay asleep before she follows him outside. He really likes the outdoors, she muses with a smile, finding him lying on the wooden lounge chair, looking up at the stars with levity in those bright blue eyes.

He looks good (well, when does she think otherwise?), but she really can't take her eyes off him right now, the purple bruise on Robin's cheek glowing in the moonlight and catching her attention. She doesn't agree with what he did, but she does understand it. She knows Robin is under a lot of pressure, with the final hearing just a few days away, but she's a little upset that it came down to this, and that now they have to come up with a way of fixing everything with Marian.

She prays to God that she's right and that she won't use the incident as evidence in court - Keith had been involved in the fight as well, and she probably will be warned that it won't look good for her either if she does. If that's so, then maybe Robin has a chance. Not of winning the full custody, she is not naïve enough to believe that, but the shared custody would be the best for everyone, and that's exactly what they will be fighting for.

"Come here," Robin's whisper echoes through the night, and she watches as he shifts a bit to the side, to give her some room on the lounge chair.

Regina takes it gladly, lying down on the narrow space between Robin's body and the armrest, leaning her head against his toned torso and letting the beating of his heart lull her into a comforting sense of security.

It's… comfortable. _He_ is comfortable, and today, all she cares about is that dimpled smile on his lips, and the lightness she so rarely sees on those gorgeous features.

"Are you alright?" she asks after a moment, leaning back to study the expression on his face and feeling a bit better to see a smile forming on his lips.

"I'm fine, love," he whispers into her hair, "I just like to look at the stars… think."

"Hmm," she closes her eyes when she feels his fingers run through her dark brown curls, relishing in the feeling of his touch on her hair. It just makes her want to move in closer, feel her torso pressed against his side, her leg intertwined between his thighs, "You really are an outdoor man, don't you?"

His chest jerks with a laugh at her question, and he moves his hands to circle around her waist, her own shifting slowly to wrap around his middle.

It feels natural with him, to hug him like this. She wants to be able to feel like this every day, to have these little moments with Robin without worrying if they will lose everything if they ever get caught.

For just these two days, she's not afraid. She feels safe here, and she hopes Robin feels the same.

"What are you thinking about?" she mutters against soft cotton, her lips pressing a soft kiss over his beating heart.

She feels his grip tightening at the gesture, feels his hands moving up and down her back, a soothing motion that makes her sigh a relaxed breath.

"I'm thinking about my father," he takes a deep breath, and Regina turns her face to look at him, her nose pressed against his jaw line, "I'm thinking about the nights I spent with him when I was a kid, he would take me camping, and he would tell me everything about the constellations in the sky. My mother hated when we stayed outside in the cold for hours."

He laughs after he says it, and it makes Regina relax under his grip, happy to know that, at least, this doesn't seem to be one of those painful memories.

She never heard about his father before, she realizes, and she really wants to ask, but she is also afraid to bring up a sore spot. Instead, she asks, "Is he-"

"Alive? Yes, he is," the hand on his waist moves to cup his cheek, urging him to shift and look at her. His lips press a soft kiss to her forehead, silently telling her that he is okay – or at least, she hopes he is, "I would like to introduce Henry to my parents… when you think it's alright."

She can't say she is surprised to hear that, it was bound to happen, eventually, and she doesn't think she will be too bothered about it, she is already used to the idea that Henry has now a new family apart from hers, "I think Henry would like that."

"You think?" his smile widens at her words, and Regina can't take her eyes off his shining orbs.

"Hmm, we can talk to him about it tomorrow."

Robin answers her with a soft ' _thank you_ ', and then takes her by surprise when he leans over to press a quick kiss to her lips, something soft and easy, and that only lasts a second before he pulls back with a guilty look on his face.

Regina chuckles, can't help it, finds it so adorable that he feels this at ease with her, and that he's able to kiss her like they had never been apart.

"Don't' worry about it," she shakes her head when she notices he's preparing to apologize, biting her lip when his grip tightens around her body and a teasing smirk appears on Robin's lips.

"Well, then, I think…" he starts, "It would be just stupid of me not to take the opportunity to keep kissing you."

She wants him, badly, is currently halfway to tell him to just do it, to finally end up with their misery. But then her senses win the battle, and she has to remind him why they are in this situation in the first place, "You know why we don't do that."

"I know," he concedes, as one of his hands lift to push her hair behind her ear, "But I also know that we are the only ones here, and that has been a while since I could live my life without Marian's shadow looking over my shoulder," she thinks she spots a bit of pain in his eyes as he says those last words, and she can't help but smile reassuring in return. He's not the only one who wants that, she can tell him that, and she's loving every bit of this weekend with him, just to be able to relax with him like this, "So, I think I have the right to act recklessly once in a while."

She wants him to, within a reason, of course. And to be honest, it's not like anyone will ever know that he was here – not if they keep that information to themselves – so the same can be said about whatever they do with their time, that's for them to know and no one else.

And so she scoots a little bit closer, gives him the room to kneel between her thighs, their noses brushing against each other as she tells him, "If you're sure."

###

Shit, this is bad. No. Not bad, definitely _good_ , but also very selfish. Letting him kiss her like this, ignoring every consequence that can come from their actions. She knows that their chances of being seen or even discovered are very slim, so who can blame her for ending up in this position?

It's Robin. And it's safe, she tells herself, with all this quietness surrounding them, not even a house within sight. They are alone, and it just feels good.

So, for now, she decides she will only focus on the man currently kissing her on this balcony, will let herself enjoy the feeling of his fingers buried in her hair, and his lips sucking gently at her bottom lip.

She sighs when he does it, and she feels him grin proudly against her mouth, has her taking the opportunity to trace a line of quick pecks down his jaw, feeling a bit smug when he groans quietly at the action – two can play this game, she thinks amused.

It's actually nice… relaxing, something to allay the tension between them, even if it's not really her plan to have sex with him tonight. No, that's completely off the table, at least until everything is sorted out with the custody - she can allow wondering hands, his own are currently running down her side, gripping her hip to pull her closer to his body.

The angle is a little uncomfortable, has her leaning her head back to capture his lips one more time, and so she places her hands on his shoulders, urging him back as she tells him, "Can we go inside?"

Robin chuckles, can't help it, places another quick peck to her lips before standing up, scooping her into his arms and walking them slowly towards the stairs.

God, she wants him, and probably letting him carry her towards his bedroom it's not the best idea, but it was her who asked him to move them, and there's no way she will make out with Robin in the same room her kids are sleeping in, not even if they are in deep slumber.

Come to think of it, Regina stops him before he can enter the bedroom, gives him another warm peck and breathes against his mouth, "What about the boys downstairs?"

Robin grins, that teasing smirk, places her back on the ground and answers her with clear hope in his voice, "We can pick them up in a minute."

Well, yes, they can, and it's not like she won't hear them if they need anything…

It doesn't take much convincing, considering how clinging to him she is right now, and then, she's the one kissing him, wiping the smile off Robin's face as she locks the door blindly behind them (although she is not sure what she's willing to do with Robin today, she knows she doesn't want Henry to catch them all over each other). She's never been this reckless before, not in the last few years, but it feels good, carefree, and she doesn't regret in the slightest being with Robin right now.

She feels his arms wrap around her waist, pulling her closer to his body as he leads her towards the bed. He doesn't push her, which only works to melt her heart even more, and it's Regina who chooses to break the kiss to take a seat on the edge of the mattress, her eyes never leaving his blue ones as she reaches for the hem of her t-shirt and slowly tugs it over her head.

It's a bold move, one that Robin wasn't clearly expecting, considering how speechless he looks, (even a little too much for the not-sexy-enough bra that she chose to wear under her clothes today), but it makes Regina blush furiously, not used to be the reason for such shameless gawking.

Shit, he looks like he wants to devour her, and if they keep this up, she won't have the heart to keep him from doing it (not that she really wants to, to be honest).

Thankfully, Robin seems to recover from his momentary reverie, leans closer to her and captures her lips in another kiss, this one a lot more intimate, less hurried, languid presses of his lips against hers that make Regina sigh pleased against his mouth.

Robin seems to have other ideas, though, moves his lips down the expanse of her neck, leaving soft kisses over her skin, and then focusing her attention on her pulse point to suck gingerly at her flesh. His stubble feels amazing against her skin, scratchy but pleasant, has Regina letting loose a breathy gasp, much to Robin's evident delight.

"Is this alright?" he mutters against her neck, right before his tongue soothes the area where he had sucked a bit harder at her. She will kill him if he leaves any marks for her to explain to their son the next day. It's bad enough that they are doing this while the boys are sleeping downstairs, she doesn't want to have to explain their eleven-year-old where did a hickey come from. God, she's already embarrassed just to think about it, can almost feel her cheeks turning red, almost gathering her senses and tell Robin to just stop.

She lets out a little moan when her back hits the softness of the mattress, parting her legs instinctively when she feels Robin's body hover over hers.

Well, they have reached this stage already, it would probably be a waste to ask him to stop right now. She won't have sex with him, and she probably should make that clear from the start, but it doesn't mean they have to _stop_ , there are plenty of options to keep them entertained.

Right now, Robin seems to know how to make the most of it. His mouth looms over her shoulder, placing a kiss on her collarbone before venturing a few inches lower.

"Wait," she breathes, and for a second Robin freezes in his spot, places another kiss to her sternum before lifting his head to look into her dark brown eyes, "We can't have sex tonight, but…" her hand reaches blindly for his, urging it up… up, until it cups one of her bra-covered breasts.

"Are you sure?" the desire in his eyes shifts to genuine concern, and Regina can't help but smile, moving her other hand to grip behind his neck and pull him down into a kiss.

"I'm sure," she assures, moving her lips to whisper in his ear, "Touch me".

###

He is smitten.

Completely, utterly, fucking smitten with the woman currently lying in his arms, smiling and waiting for Robin to do exactly what she asked.

 _'_ _Touch me'_ , Regina had whispered, and how is he supposed to resist such temptation?

He wants her, and she wants him too - if the way she's acting tonight is any indication - and he is already so turned on, he's sure that stopping now would probably do more damage than actually good. He's already hard inside his sweats (has been like this since she entered his bedroom and locked the door behind them for good measure), and Regina looks incredibly gorgeous beneath him, with her lips swollen and pink from their kissing, and her dark, tousled hair all spread in the sheets where she lies in his bed.

 _His_ bed – or rather, hers, to be specific – but that's not even the point, and he's rather pleased that she let her guard down to allow him to be with her like this.

She's amazing. He can't resist cherishing every sigh that comes from her mouth when his thumb brushes lightly her nipple over soft cotton, or when he takes her by surprise by rocking his hips against hers, the moans that leave her throat certainly encouraging him to continue with his movements.

He just can't wait for the moment he will be free to be with her without constraints. The moment he will be able to be inside her, listening to her every sound without worrying they may wake up the boys sleeping downstairs. He's pretty aware of that, and it's a shame that she has to be quiet for the first time they are together like this, but he can't resist lowering his mouth to caress the curve of her neck, his tongue trailing down her pulse point and causing a higher moan in the back of her throat.

Screw it, he's decided, he doesn't want her to be quiet. There's a fair amount of distance between the bedroom and the living room, he's pretty sure they will still be safe even if he lets her be a little more vocal.

The whole sight triggers something inside Robin that he can't quite explain, a sense of pride to be able to make Regina feel like this, so carefree and excited, with her hips rocking against his thigh, while Robin places kiss after kiss up the column of her neck.

 _Christ,_ she's hot. And he has this unexpected urge to make her feel even better. He wants to give her everything she wants, wants to make her feel loved, and desired, everything he wished he could've done for her over the past ten years, but didn't get the chance because of his own stupidity.

One thing he is sure… he won't let this woman run away a second time. He wants to have a life with her, a family, he won't make the same mistake twice.

"Robin," her voice pushes him away from his own thoughts, and it's only then that he feels her hand gripping the hem of his white t-shirt, pulling it up, up, until he finally connects the dots.

"Oh," he smirks, leaning back, enough to grasp the t-shirt in his own hands and pull it off over his head. He tosses it somewhere on the floor, together with Regina's, and then he's back to his previous task, his mouth finding hers to steal another heated kiss.

It's short-lived, not at all what Regina was expecting, judging by her frustrated (but adorable) little whine, and then he focuses his attention on her collarbone, his chin brushing the edge of her bra and giving Robin other _ideas_ , "Can I-"

"Yes," she breathes before he can even finish, looking more impatient with each passing second. It's adorable, really, it only makes Robin want to tease her despite how aroused he also is, but he's decided to make the most out of this moment, even if it makes them suffer a little bit more.

It's a good suffering, that's for sure. Watching her shiver when he hooks one finger under the strap of her bra, playing with the fabric for a moment, before he finally pulls it down her arm, together with its twin. It's a bloody turn-on, revealing inch by inch of her skin, watching her nipples coming into view and realize how aroused she actually is.

He can't take his eyes off her body. Of the way she takes in a deeper breath when he cups one of her breasts in his hands, or how she wriggles slightly beneath him, her thigh touching gently his hardened length and making Robin release an almost painful groan.

He doesn't think she notices, wrapped up in the moment like she is right now, but he can't say he minds, not when this is the outcome of how she is enjoying herself. He wished he could just stare at her for the rest of the night, memorize the sight of her body beneath him - she has a nice body, he doesn't need to see her completely naked to know that this is true, and he wants to caress every inch of it if she lets him, wants to whisper how beautiful she is, how she is the most gorgeous woman he ever laid eyes on.

 _Fuck,_ he doesn't believe he will be able to stay away from her after tonight. He doesn't w _ant_ to. He needs to solve everything with Marian about the custody, needs to be free to have a normal relationship with Regina.

He cups her cheek in his hand and moves his mouth to capture her lips one more time, kisses her hungrily, urgently, his tongue moving with hers for a moment before he has to step back in need for air.

"I…" he pants, drops his forehead to hers, her fingers moving up his naked back to play with the hair in the back of his neck, "I really like you, Regina."

It's not what he wants to tell her, but he thinks she gets him when he sees the blush that paints her cheeks. He can't resist the grin that pulls at his lips, bumps his nose with hers affectionately before pressing a kiss over her beating heart.

"Now…" he presses his thumb against her nipple, drawing little circles over the hard nub, and relishing in the gasp that he earns from her, "I think… we should not be wasting more time, don't you agree?"

###

Oh, she agrees.

She agrees with pretty much everything he is doing to her right now. Delicious strokes of his tongue on her nipple, his hand cupping her other breast, while his thumb gives it the attention she so much craved.

She's unbelievably turned-on, starved for a little more stimulation where she grinds her hips against his leg (he's hard too, she can feel it, his erection poking against her thigh) and she has to remind herself that they can't have sex tonight, not even if he seems to be as worked up as she is.

 _God_ , there will be no sex, she's sane enough to make sure that _that_ won't happen, but she really needs to come right now, and there's no good reason why she can't.

She moans when he sucks a bit harder at her, catches his hand currently kneading her breast and draws it down, down, past her navel, until it reaches the hem of her sweatpants.

The movement has Robin shifting a little, laying alongside her on the mattress, and she feels his fingers slip slightly beneath the cotton, his voice rough and flirty as he tells her, "If you can keep it down…"

She feels her cheeks blush at his words, embarrassed to realize how he seems to be aware of how aroused she truly is, but then his hand moves further down between her thighs, and all her thoughts leave her mind when his finger draws little circles on her clit.

She takes a deep breath at the action, cups his head when he moves to catch her nipple in his lips a second time, and she moans and shuts her eyes at the feeling, her legs opening wider and making more room for him to touch her easily. His hand is warm and soft, firm as he rubs her harder - it's been a while since she's been with someone like this, since she has felt this close to another person, and she really doesn't want to spoil everything with Robin this time, even if it means she will have to wait weeks, or even months, to have him inside her again.

She can live with what they have right now (it's much more than she ever imagined for them at this point), she will bring him to this house every weekend if it means they can be together, if it means they will have the space to unwind from their hectic lives.

She's screwed, to be honest. Screwed for having allowed this in the first place.

There's no way she will be able to keep the distance as if nothing has happened between them now, as if Robin isn't touching her like this, adding another finger to the equation when he slips his hand lower to tease her entrance. She groans needy at the contact, bites her lower lip, her hand tightening her grip on his hair when his tongue strokes the hard nub, and _Shit_ , maybe she can't be quiet after all, maybe this was a terrible idea with the boys sleeping downstairs.

But they have made it this far already, and Robin has literally his hand inside her pants – it makes her want him even more, _all_ of him, not only the fingers currently slipping through her wetness (that's good too, _God_ , it sure is), he feels pretty snug inside her, and she can't help but shiver when Robin moans against her chest about how good it feels to finally be able to touch her properly.

He moves his fingers in and out, slowly at first, testing, and Regina lets out a distressed and needy whine, her hips rocking into his touch in search of a little more pressure - he's trying to drag this out, she assumes, judging by the lazy rhythm he established with his hand on her body, but she's ready for more, _so much more_ , something that would relieve some of the pressure that has been building up since she found him in the balcony downstairs.

"Robin," she breathes, almost a moan, his lips spreading kisses over her collarbone, while his fingers keep the steady pace between her thighs, "I need-"

Robin groans in understanding, moves his mouth towards her neck and quickens the pace of his hand, moves it faster, harder, and _Fuck_ , it feels good, every time his palm touches her clit, together with his lips sucking her pulse point. It has the air leaving her lungs in a single breath, her hands fisting desperately at the sheets, her eyes falling shut leisurely.

She feels his lips pressed against hers a moment later, kissing her deeply, slower this time, and it makes her love him even more, how he can be so affectionate while he is trying to make her come with his fingers.

"I missed you so much," he whispers against her mouth, almost inaudible, but it's enough for her to hear, enough to make her melt even more in his hands, "I missed _all_ of you. Your mouth," he pecks her lips one more time, "Your scent," his nose runs down her neck, and it makes her shiver, has a moan leaving the back of her throat at the action, "I missed kiss every inch of your body, you have no idea how I want you right now."

She swallows hard and nods her head, tells him, "I want you too, so much," even if she knows they will not do that, not today at least.

But she needs to come, _badly_ , her thighs start to tremble when he quickens even more his pace, her hand fists restlessly at his hair, while her hips rock desperately against his hand.

She's close, so, so close. The sweat is starting to be apparent in her hairline, and she has to bite her bottom lip to keep her from being too much loud.

She imagines how it will be when they can finally be together (yes, _when_ , because after tonight, she's pretty sure she won't let Robin escape one more time), and she pictures Robin slipping inside her, and her legs wrapping around his waist, their bodies joined together as he thrusts steadily inside her.

She lets a moan escape at the image in her mind, focuses on the here and now, on Robin's fingers moving inside her, on his voice whispering in her ear, almost begging her to let go, "I can't take my eyes off you, love, you're so gorgeous, I've got you, I want to watch you come-"

Orgasm has her crying out his name under her breath, has her hips twitching from the pleasure, her fingers tightening in his hair, while he keeps the constant rhythm of his hand – it's slower this time, just letting her ride out her orgasm until she decides when it's enough - and it feels _so_ good, his thumb rubbing against her clit now, slightly, allowing her to catch her breath before his lips find hers one more time.

It's… pleasant, intimate, actually, as he moves his mouth against hers, the hand in his air moving to cup his stubbled jaw.

She feels like she's living in a little bubble, away from the rest of the world, just her and Robin, and their kids, sleeping downstairs to allow their parents to have an intimate moment together.

She could get used to this. To this simplicity. Could get used to having Robin pampering her like he is right now, could get used to finally have a family again.

She breaks the kiss to find Robin smiling down at her, that teasing smirk mixed with something more tender, and he moves his hand away from her pants and towards his mouth, wrapping his lips around his fingers to taste the wetness in his hand.

 _God_ , she didn't think she could find him sexier than when he was knuckle-deep inside her a few moments ago but, well… that's clearly wrong, and his erection pressed against her thigh is not helping in the slightest. It makes her want to think twice about her decision of not having sex with him tonight, about waiting until everything has settled down to at least do that _._ But, hell, it's not like she can turn back the time now, is it? And it seems a little unfair that she gets to have her relief and he doesn't.

And so she pushes him back while she kneels on the bed, straddling his legs – his hand reaches immediately behind her back to unhook the bra already tucked halfway down her belly – and she can't help but moan when he cups her breast in his palm one more time, his free hand pressing against her back to urge her closer to him.

"No," she breathes, almost against her own will, and Robin looks at her with that confused look on his face, his brows arched in bewilderment as he waits for her to elaborate, "It's my turn."

"Oh," he moves his hands until they stop steady on her waist, and she shifts a little until she's mostly sitting on his thighs, her hand reaching inside his sweats to wrap around his erection and reveal it to her.

 _Shit._ He feels good in her hand. Warm, and thick, smooth as she gives it a slow stroke, relishing in the groan that comes out of his throat at the action. She can't believe she's lucky enough to have this man back in her life. Can't believe that in a few weeks she can have all of him to herself, can do _this_ and much more, can finally show him how much she wants him since the day they resumed contact.

She didn't think they would end up like this. With her hand stroking up and down the length of his cock, and her own arousal growing with every swipe of her thumb over his tip. It earns her an almost desperate ' _Christ_ ', and Regina decides that this is too good of a moment to rush it, now understanding why Robin wanted to drag this out when it was his turn to make her feel this way.

It's actually quite pleasant to watch him writhe beneath her, knowing that it's only due to the things she is doing with her hand on his body - she may make him suffer for a little, enjoy the view before everything comes to an end.

So she tightens her grip on his erection and watches it slide in her palm, twists her hand in another lazy stroke, grinning triumphantly when his jaw drops open at the action. It turns out, Robin believes a little payback is more than fair, and she is taken by surprise when his hand cups one of her breasts, her back arching into his touch when his thumb rubs over her nipple.

"I thought this was for you," she teases with a smirk, and he nods his head, has to take a deep breath when she speeds a little the pace of her hand. His blue eyes are focused on her chest, and it sends a thrill through her body to see how he loves to touch her, to know that her body is enough to make him feel this aroused.

"It is," he tells her with a smile, his dimples gorgeous and on full display, and making her love this man even more, "I love your body, Regina," his hand is kneading and groping, and _Fuck,_ this wasn't for her, it was supposed to be his turn right now.

So she takes a deep breath and focuses on the task at hand (literally), and rubs her thumb over his head one more time, his hips starting to move slowly under her grip, "I love when you touch me," she whispers in the air between them, and it's quite pleased to see that her words seem to have an effect on Robin, "I can't wait to have you inside me-"

"Regina," he moans, but it only puts a smile on her face, her hand stroking him faster, harder.

"I'm already wet again, just to think about it."

"Fuck," she watches his Adam's apple bob with a heavy swallow, and he's so hard in her hand, pre-cum starting to leak from his tip.

She twists her hand over his head and gathers the moisture there, runs her palm back down the length of him, watching the way he bites his lip from the pleasure. He's gorgeous, and she can't stop looking at him, can't decide if she wants to watch him or her hand, or the way his own are restlessly running all over her thighs when she grips him a little firmer on the next stroke.

She wants to learn everything that brings him closer to the edge, wants to make him feel as good as he made her feel a few minutes ago - she'd be lying if she said that the sight of him, all turned on, doesn't have any effect on her, that the way he is writhing, and moaning, doesn't make her yet again warm between her thighs.

She's way past the gentle touch at this point, switching for a sharper rhythm – he's close, she can tell, and there's no point in making him suffer even more - he groans, and gasps, and whispers her name in that sinful way that makes her weak in her knees, his hips bucking desperately into her touch as he tells her, "Just like that, love."

She glances at his face to find his jaw clenched and his eyes firmly shut, his fists are closed around the fabric of her sweatpants, and his breathing is shallow as he fights to take a deep breath. It's incredibly hot, watching him approaching the edge, knowing that with only her hand she can provide him with this level of pleasure.

She can't resist letting loose a moan of her own, her free hand finding support on his sweaty chest when she speeds up even more the pace of her hand. And then she's is leading him to his release as he tips his head against the mattress, coming warm and slick on her fingers, his teeth trapping his lower lip in a failed attempt to keep his groans to a minimum (she wished he didn't have to hold back – soon, she thinks), and she sighs when Robin relaxes beneath her, her hand stroking him a last time before she finally releases him from her grasp.

###

 _Fuck_ , that was… there are really no words to describe what had just happened between them. Touching Regina after all this time, being like this with her again as if the last eleven years had never existed. She looked so bloody gorgeous when she reached her release, so fucking sexy as she wrapped her hand around him, warm and firm, her dark eyes watching as she stroked him up and down.

He feels relaxed, and so very happy, wants to wrap his arms around her body and keeping her close to him for the rest of the night, relieve the memories of this weekend while he watches Regina sleep against his chest.

This is what he wants, a normal life. Wants to kiss the woman in his arms whenever the hell he pleases – is currently doing that as she leans forward to meet his lips, his hands move up her body to tangle in her hair, her own settling on his shoulders and making him grimace at the sticky feeling left on his skin.

He pulls away with a chuckle, can't help but marvel at the nervous look she wears on her face. She looks almost… shy, he would say, blushing as his eyes focus on her, her teeth trapping her lower lip with a sheepish smile.

"You're gorgeous," he whispers, his fingers playing with her locks, before tucking it behind her ear in a soft caress, "I could stay here with you forever."

She laughs at that, much to Robin's delight, rolls her eyes at his sappy words, even if she knows her smile will give her away. Robin knows she's not one for the sentimental things, that she wears that tough look on her face for the people who don't have the satisfaction of knowing her, but he also knows she likes to feel loved, and he will make her feel that way for as long as she lets him.

Her answer is a teasing, "I think we need a bath first," and as much as Robin agrees with that, he needs to take advantage of the moment he has this woman half-naked in his arms.

And so he shakes his head, leans out of the bed to grab the t-shirt previously tossed on the floor during their activities, and offers, "Wipe your hands here, I'll wash it tomorrow when I get home. Right now I need more time to hold you in my arms."

It's a fair deal, he supposes, and he knows she agrees when she wipes the remains of his cum on the white fabric, tossing it to the floor again before leaning down for another kiss.

It's a little more gentle this time, both of them relishing in each other's caresses. It lasts for vast seconds, maybe even minutes, he can't tell, her hands lingering over his chest, his own caressing her back, memorizing every detail of her naked skin. It's soft under his touch, though a little sticky from the sweat, but there's a sense of pride to know he was the one to leave her this way, just like she was _ever_ the only one to make him feel this satisfied.

When she pulls apart, he's sad to let her return to her side of the bed, but pleased to welcome her in his embrace when she cuddles closer to him. He wraps his arm around her shoulders, and she places her head on his chest, her hand tracing soft caresses over the skin of his abs.

"Can I ask you something?" he asks, a little hesitant to break their moment, but he feels Regina nod against his torso, her chin settling on his chest as she looks up to meet his eyes, "You seemed… uncomfortable when Henry asked to go horseback riding today, are you okay with us going to the stables tomorrow?"

He didn't mean to ruin the moment, but he needed to address this issue while they were safe of Henry overhearing them. He wants Regina to be free to tell him if something it's bothering her, which honestly seems to be the case, judging by the way she shifts her gaze away from his own, "Regina-"

"It's fine, it's just… something he used to do with Daniel."

Oh, that… explains pretty much everything.

He doesn't want to take Daniel's place in Henry's heart, nor does he want to replace any memory his son has from the man who raised him for most of his life. Maybe he should give her more time to deal with everything. It's not like the fact that she seems to have feelings for him will instantly help her to deal with Daniel's death, or the place he occupies in their son's life.

Robin tightens his grip around her shoulders, pulling her closer and dropping a kiss to her hair as he tells her, "Regina, I would never do something that would make you uncomfortable, not even if Henry begs me to do it-"

"It's stupid, we should take him. I'm being selfish."

"You are not," he assures, his hand firmly around her shoulders, the other working up and down the length of her arm, "Maybe Henry won't understand or… I think he will if you talk to him. And there are so many other things we can do together, he won't be mad if you explain the situation to him."

"It's stupid," she insists, and no, he won't allow her to feel stupid over this, he's the one who was an asshole when he promised Henry something without talking to Regina first, "He only gets the chance to ride when we come here, I can't deny him that just because I invited his father to spend the weekend. I'm sorry, I don't want to make you feel guilty."

"I don't," he tells her, for her sake, though he feels a little bit the reason why Henry can do something he likes. Maybe he can find a solution for their problem, at least he would feel he is helping somehow, "Why don't you go with him? I mean, I can stay here."

Regina frowns, unconvinced, "I'm not going to leave you alone, Robin, you were supposed to spend time with Henry this weekend."

"And I did, and I will spend more," he watches her shaking her head, uncertain, "You can go in the morning with him, I'll watch Dylan, and we will still have the afternoon to be together, yeah?"

It's fair for everyone, at least he thinks it is, and he won't really feel bad to stay with Dylan for a few hours in the morning, especially if it allows Henry to spend time with his mother, doing something they both enjoy.

It's perfect, if you asked him, tough Regina doesn't seem to feel the same.

"How is it not selfish-"

"It's not, you are spending time with your son, what is it selfish about that?"

Regina sighs, explains, "And you're spending time taking care of my other son instead of yours."

"I'll probably feel thankful for being able to sleep a bit more in the morning after the night we had today," she snorts, presses a quick peck to his lips – he can't resist sigh content when she cuddles against him one more time, her hand moving over his chest to wrap around his naked torso, "Seriously, love, you go with him, have an honest conversation, and when you come back, we will spend the afternoon together, the four of us."

###

It sounds… nice, to be honest, maybe a little bit selfish, not what she was expecting when she invited Robin to spend the weekend with them in their house (she also didn't think they would jerk each other off and well… look at them now).

They are half-naked, lying in each other's arms, and Robin is offering to do this for her, why can't she just accept?

"Alright," she concedes, telling him, "Thank you," before she can change her mind. They are Henry's parents and they will do this for him, not for her sake. It's not like this is the only opportunity Henry has to ride a horse with Robin (she is pretty sure this will not be the only time Robin will spend time with them in this house, thank God for that), and Henry deserves to know the truth, maybe a conversation between them will actually help her look at things from another perspective, "Now, come on, we need to shower before we bring the boys upstairs."

Robin sits, compelling her to do the same, and she notices the smirk on his lips, only now realizing how that could have probably sounded.

"Are you inviting me to take a shower with you, milady?" he teases, wrapping an arm around her belly and pressing a kiss to her bare shoulder.

"No," she tells him, even if she suspects he knows the answer. They already have gone too far this evening, she doesn't want to do anything they may regret in the future, "I meant we should each take a shower in our own room, and if you don't mind, you can help me carry the boys upstairs later?"

"Of course, love," he reaches for her shirt on the floor, handing it to her – he drops his own to the pile of dirty laundry, together with his boxers and sweats before picking up his towel.

He's… naked. And the strangest thing, it doesn't feel awkward at all.

It feels domestic, and normal (maybe until they return to their lives and the dream vanishes).

But for now, she stands up from the bed and closes the distance between them, presses another kiss on his lips, and tells herself she has at least one more day before she has to let the dream go.

* * *

 **Tell me what you think :)**


	23. Chapter 23

Chapter 23.

Regina was exhausted by the time she went to bed. Happy, but tired. She had hopped into the shower after leaving Robin's bedroom, and had spent half of the time reliving her evening with the blue-eyed man, the other half wondering how she had allowed something like this to happen between them.

It had been amazing, it truly was, but she also knows it had been a big mistake, regardless of how safe they feel locked up inside this house. It will be harder to keep the distance between them now, to tell her heart to stop feeling things for Robin until the issue with the custody is completely resolved.

It's… very difficult, really, especially when she finds him the way she saw him last night: crouching in front of the couch as he stared at both sleeping boys, his hand playing softly with Henry's hair as he pushed some of the strands away from his eyes.

He's amazing. And she's not willing to lose him a second time.

She had stood in the doorway just watching them for a few more minutes, until Robin's attention has shifted to her, and he had stood up from the floor to meet her eagerly in the hallway.

She had taken more time getting ready than she first anticipated, she had realized, had spent almost half an hour inside the bathroom, and another ten minutes to change into a clean pair of pajamas (she was lucky that she keeps some in the house for unforeseen circumstances), and then she had needed to dry her hair, not really wanting to go to bed with wet hair.

It had been quite relaxing, actually, just taking time for herself, knowing the boys were well taken care of while she was busy.

"You look refreshed," Robin had whispered in her ear, his hands wrapping fondly around her waist.

Regina had hummed and had teased him about how he also looked more reinvigorated without the sweat covering his body, leaning against his chest as he pressed kiss after kiss up the column of her neck.

"You smell bloody amazing," he groaned, waking Regina from her reverie. She had put some distance between them and gestured towards the boys, silently reminding him that they were not alone in his bedroom anymore.

She still doesn't want Henry to know about their growing relationship, and not only because of the custody, but because she wants to find a way to talk to her son about this situation.

So Robin had apologized, had placed a kiss on her forehead before telling her, "Should we take the boys upstairs then?"

And well, yes, that's why they were there in the first place.

The night had flown by quickly after that, and Regina had woken up in her bed to the sound of her alarm, still sleepy, but eager to enjoy what's left of the weekend.

It has been amazing so far, and she can't wait to see what the next few hours have in store for her. It's good to be able to live without worrying with the consequences, knowing that this may even be a glimpse of her future with Robin.

If it is, she can't wait to get to that stage of their lives, can't wait to finally have a family with him, to allow Henry to finally get to meet his biological father. It had been rough, but she finally can put everything behind her back, focus on the future from here on out.

So she puts on comfortable clothes and goes wake up Henry – he protests a little, annoyed about being dragged out of bed on a Sunday morning – and takes the opportunity while her son is getting dressed to duck into Robin's room, telling herself it's only to let him know they will be gone soon, and that Dylan is still asleep in her bed.

"Alright, I'll be up in a minute," he mumbles, laying on his side, his blue eyes flickering open as he offers her his best sleepy smile.

"I can just bring him here. It's early, you can sleep a little more."

She can't help but laugh when he nods his head and cuddles further into the blankets, his breathing evens out, and he is sleeping again by the time she returns to tuck Dylan next to him.

###

They are out of the door about nine in the morning, walking side by side towards the stables, Regina's arm securely wrapped around her son's shoulders. She asks him about how he had spent the night, just to make conversation, really, and he tells her that it was fine, that's all, his eyes peeled on the floor the entire walk up the small hill.

Henry has been awfully quiet since they left the house, and Regina imagines why.

He had been excited when she told him their plans for this morning, but have been cranky since the moment he realized Robin wouldn't be joining them for their ride.

She had thought she would have more time to address this issue with the boy, but apparently, she hasn't. She should talk to him, make things clear. The last thing she wants is Henry thinking she is pushing Robin out of their lives a second time, especially when she is trying to do exactly the opposite, only needs a bit more time to deal with certain things.

So she walks in silence until they reach the stables, watches as Henry takes a seat on a bale of hay before asking, "So, which horses should we saddle up?"

Henry shrugs, and Regina can't help but sigh at his response, taking a seat beside her son, "Henry, what is it?"

She knows what's wrong, but she wants it to be him to tell her what's bothering him. She wants him to be able to come to her to talk about his problems, even if said problems have Robin's name attached to it.

Soon enough, he tells her, "I thought Robin wanted to ride with us," and _shit_ , she wasn't expecting that, she didn't believe he would think this was Robin's fault, she thought he would blame her for his father's absence.

"Oh, sweetheart, he really wanted to come with us," she admits, because she won't allow Robin to take the blame after he did what he did for her, "I… asked him not to."

Henry turns to look at her at that, frowns in confusion at her admission, and it breaks her heart to see her son like this.

"Why?" he asks, and well, it's a fair question, isn't it?

"Because I needed to talk to you," she answers, her arm wrapping around his waist, "I wasn't really okay with Robin going horseback riding with you. This is something you used to do with Daniel, and… it's still hard for me. I know you don't want to replace him, but… I need more time, okay?"

She cringes at how selfish that sounds, but she tries to remember Robin's words. It's okay to need time, it's okay to feel like this.

"I'm sorry, mom, I didn't know."

"I know, sweetheart, you don't need to apologize."

She wraps her arms around him in a hug, fighting to keep the tears at bay, and because Henry is still a child, she can't help but laugh when he asks, "Maybe next time?"

"Maybe," she smiles, pulling back to look at him, "But until then, I like that we can do this together, just you and me."

She likes that she has something to share with her older son, just the two of them. Gradually she will introduce Dylan to the sport, and then Robin, and then maybe even Roland if his father agrees with it.

But she wants to keep this between them for a while, having some mother and son bonding over Henry's favorite activity.

"Me too, mom," he smiles, jumping from his seat, "So, can you help me saddle up Ellie?"

"Of course," Regina beams, her heart about to explode with love for her son.

###

Robin puts away the mop, together with the bucket of dirty water, and sits outside with Dylan, just waiting for the floor to dry.

It's pleasant outside, a light breeze, but sunny, and he can't help but smile every time he thinks about Regina and Henry, riding across the fields as they enjoy their time together.

It's a shame he can't witness it himself, but he has to remember that he did this for Regina, and that one day he too will have the chance to join them, to share the family moment with two of his favorite people.

Soon, he smiles, running his hand over Dylan's dark curls.

They had slept another hour after Regina had left her son in his bed, and then he had started cleaning his room, packing his things in his bag so he would be free to help Regina clean the house later.

But then he thought better of it, and decided he could just do it himself. It was not like he had something better to do after all, and this way they would have more time in the afternoon to actually do something together, instead of wasting what's left of the weekend just cleaning the house.

So that's what he did. Had left Dylan playing with his toys while he cleaned up the kitchen, and then had done the same with the living room, before mopping up the whole ground floor. Only Regina's and Henry's bedrooms had been left untouched, not really wanting to go through Regina's things without consulting her first. Other than that, the house has been cleaned, and he actually feels quite proud of himself for having thought of it.

He can't wait for Regina to see it, trusting that she won't be bothered about it.

As he was expecting, they return from the stables about half an hour later, sweaty, but excited, the smile on their faces prompting Robin's own to appear on his lips. He can't help but notice the beads of sweat running down Regina's neck, disappearing between the valley of her breasts, and taking him to the night before when she had been half-naked and moaning beneath him (he shouldn't be thinking about this in front of the boys, he knows this, but… _Christ_ , she looks gorgeous, and he just had the opportunity to _touch_ Regina again, who can't really blame him for having improper thoughts about this woman?)

It's Regina. And she already knows how attracted he is to her. He doesn't even feel guilty when she catches him marveling at her whole body, her brows arched in mock disapproval when he looks up at her face and meets her gaze.

"So, how was your morning?" Robin regains his composure, though he can't quite take his eyes off the brunette - her lips are tilted up in a smile, relaxed, as Henry tells him how his mother had let him gallop for a little, and how Ellie is the fastest horse they have in the stables.

"You are getting too good for your own good," Regina places a kiss on her son's temple, her gaze shifting to the bucket and mop beside the door, raising a brow questioningly in Robin's direction, "And what were you up to?"

"Oh… I thought I would clean the house, so we didn't have to do it in the afternoon before we leave."

She's preparing to protest, he can see it, in the way she opens her mouth to say something, or how she shakes her head in disapproval, right before Henry interrupts whatever she was about to tell him with a, "I'm going to change, alright?"

"Take a shower first," she reminds, and Robin feels a sudden affection for both of them, wondering how would've been like to spend his life raising Henry with Regina (it's useless, he knows it, and it only works to make him suffer even more, but he likes to imagine it, likes to picture in his mind how would it feel to take a newborn Henry home, alongside Regina).

He would've done anything to help her raise their boy. Would wake up in the middle of the night to change diapers, would work twice as much to make sure he would make enough money to support them both.

If only she had given him the chance…

"You know, you didn't have to-"

"Unh?" he asks, still lost in his dream. Only then he realizes she's talking about the cleaning, and well, it seems pointless to be talking about that right now. He wanted to help, end of the story, "I wanted to, Regina. This way we can spend the afternoon together, without having to worry about cleaning up."

Regina hums, and he can't fight the smile when she reaches for his hand and laces her fingers with his, pleased to see that she seems okay with small touches.

"I don't want to leave," she admits, and _fuck,_ neither does he, in fact… Sod it, he's going to kiss her. He won't have the opportunity to do it once they are back to their lives, and Henry is upstairs, nothing is keeping him from doing it right now.

So he pulls her closer to him and cups her face in his hand, brushes his nose against hers until she catches the meaning, giving her time to step back if she really wants to. Luckily for him, she doesn't seem bothered by his idea, she is actually the one who closes the distance between them, her lips touching his in a soft but lingering kiss.

He's going to miss her terribly once they are back. Is going to miss being able to kiss her like this, to be free to just enjoy his time with this woman.

"Me neither, love," he whispers when he pulls back, giving her hand a squeeze while his thumb traces small circles on her cheek, "You know I would tell you to hide here with me if we could."

She buries her face in his neck as she chuckles at his words, placing a soft kiss to his skin before she mutters, "That sounds nice."

"It does," Robin agrees, unable to stop himself from wrapping her in a hug. Stupid destiny for keeping them apart all these years, "But when this is all over, we can do whatever we bloody want."

She chuckles again at his optimism, her arms gripping tightly around his torso. He can't resist burying his nose in her dark locks, inhaling her scent to memorize it in his mind.

He knows what it's like to love Regina and losing her over a misunderstanding, and he won't let that happen a second time. He will make sure that nothing gets in the way again, that not even Marian or the bloody court will punish them for falling in love with each other.

He feels her pulling back from the hug a moment later, she doesn't step away completely, for which Robin is glad to be able to keep holding her in any way he can.

"Are you ready to face the judge's decision?" she asks, a bit apprehensive at first.

"I'm ready for it to be over."

He can't say he's ready to know whether or not he will win his son's custody, he doesn't think he will ever be ready for that, but he's ready to move on with his life, and will do whatever he can to do it with Roland by his side.

He sighs, and shakes his head, the pleasant mood from earlier now gone when he tells her, "I want to be with my son, I…" damn Marian, damn both of them for not being able to reach an agreement, "I'm not a bad father."

"Of course not," she is quick to assure, her hands moving to grip his biceps, giving them a reassuring squeeze. It's easy to say it, but in the end, what it matters is what the judge believes. He's grateful for Regina, he really is, she had been able to help him in more ways than she thinks, and he actually can't imagine what would've been his life had she not been assigned his lawyer, "You are great with Roland, and Henry, and… children in general. She doesn't have anything against you, she won't be able to push you out of Roland's life," tears prickle the back of his eyes, but he nods, doesn't interrupt her as she promises, "I'll make sure of it."

She cuddles against his chest in another hug, one meant to soothe him, he's sure, but he will take it gladly, thankful for all the support she has been giving him the last few weeks, "At least this whole situation worked to bring me back to you… to Henry."

"And we won't let you go a second time," she promises, lingering for a bit before pulling away from his hold, "Henry should be back any minute. I'm going to take a shower, and then I'll cook lunch. What are you in the mood for?"

"We could just have lunch somewhere else. We are free to do whatever we want together here, why not make the most of it? Besides… we will have to clean up the kitchen again if we cook," he points out, pleased with the prospect of being able to have a normal lunch in a restaurant with his family, "I can help Dylan getting dressed while you get ready yourself..."

"Alright," Regina laughs, "I will leave his clothes on my bed before I take the shower."

His lips curve in a grin, teasing, and he looks around to see if they are safe from prying eyes, leaning quickly to steal a brief peck from her lips, "You want me to be in your bedroom, knowing you are naked and wet on the other side of the door?"

"Robin," she warns, a smile on her face nonetheless, "You will manage."

And with that, she turns to scoop Dylan up in her arms, her voice flirty as she tells him, "Are you coming or not?"

He will manage, he hears her words in his head. As if he had another choice.

###

By the time they are all scooped up inside Regina's black Mercedes, she can't help but think how a good idea it was to invite Robin to spend the weekend with them. She's not happy with how things unfolded between him and his ex-wife's fiance, of course, but she's not going to deny that the last few days had been good, even if she knows they will have to return to normal soon.

She hopes that at least it worked to boost up his confidence in a better future for them, giving him a glimpse of how their life can be as soon as this is all over. She can't get out of her mind the image of Robin and the boys seated on the couch waiting for her, with Dylan perched on Robin's lap, while Henry was sitting next to him as he explained whatever game he has been playing on his console for the last few days.

They looked adorable, really, even when Henry spotted her staring at them from the doorway, his voice a bit dramatic as he complained that, "Mom, you took forever!"

Robin had offered her a smile at that, his dimples showing on his cheeks as he ruffled Henry's hair, just before standing up from the couch with Dylan in his arms. It had made her feel butterflies in her stomach, just like a teenage girl in love. She had wanted to kiss him right there, in that moment, if it wasn't for the small eyes watching her every move.

Henry is not stupid, it's actually quite smart for a boy his age, and she's pretty sure he's aware of her connection with Robin, even if he doesn't know it already reached a romantic level.

She really wants to keep it that way, at least for now, but here they are, parking in a free spot in front of the restaurant and looking like a family they are _yet_ to be.

"This looks… fancy," Robin mutters as he stares at the elegant building, his grin catching Regina's eyes as she smirks back at him.

"It's not fancy," Henry interrupts, "It's a seafood restaurant."

"It's just posher than the most," Regina dismisses, "Mother wouldn't take us anywhere."

She doesn't realize how bitter that sounded until she catches Robin staring with _that_ look in his eyes, the one he uses to give her every time she talks about her mother, a combination of sympathy and resentment, even if he doesn't really have anything personal against Cora Mills.

He knows how she feels talking about her mother. Angry, sad, because she should have a mother who supports her above all, instead of a woman who is always judging everything she does.

Be as it may, she was not really thinking about Cora right now, and she insists on telling him so, "I was just rambling. It turns out the food is really good here."

Robin chuckles, clearly pleased to see she will not let the thoughts about her mother ruin the moment. Her smile widens even more when Henry perks up in the back seat, his voice cheerful when he tells them, "Yeah, and I'm starving, c'mon!"

Right. The effects of having a teenage son. How he is always hungry she will never know.

Following the boys, she takes Dylan out of his car seat and leads them towards the busy restaurant – she is glad she had made a reservation for them sooner, and within ten minutes, they are all sitting around a round table, menus in hand as they choose what to order.

Robin is the first to break the silence, asking, "So, what do you suggest?" feeling, no doubt, a little torn between so many options, "I can't tell you when was the last time I eat something like this."

"What? Seafood?" Henry asks, his expression changing for one of complete astonishment, as if it was the worst thing in the entire world. Henry loves seafood (just like his mother, honestly), and even if she makes a point of having a meal like this quite often during their weekends, she knows is not everyone who enjoys it, and she starts wondering if she should've asked Robin whether or not he actually likes this type of food.

Thankfully for her, he starts explaining, "Yeah, Roland's mother doesn't really like it that much," and she focuses her attention back on the menu, thinking of a good answer to Robin's previous question.

"Well, she must be really dumb."

"Henry!" Regina scolds, feeling an ounce of shame about the way her son talked about Robin's ex-wife. He feels genuinely confused for a moment, as if he hadn't really realized what he had just said, but she doesn't want him to think it's okay to talk about people like that, so she shifts in her seat to face her son, her voice firm when she tells him, "You were pretty rude, apologize to Robin."

"Why? She's not his girlfriend anymore," Henry protests, the stubborn side he inherited from herself coming to the surface, "Why did you choose her over my mom, anyway?"

Regina can't even look at Robin, feeling shocked as she is. She can't quite believe Henry had asked him that (she doesn't even know where this conversation had come from, why Henry suddenly thinks Marian is the reason why Robin didn't raise him).

Before she could even think about answering him, Robin is already stepping in, telling him, "I didn't choose Marian over your mom. I only met her years later."

"Then why I never met you? You were not with my mom when I was born," Henry accuses, but Robin just sighs.

"You're right, I wasn't," he agrees, and _God_ , can she just disappear in space. She can't let Henry talk to Robin like that, _accuse_ him of not being present. It was never his fault, it was _her_ fault, and maybe she needs to talk to her son about it, maybe she needs to explain what happened instead of just avoid the subject.

To her not so much surprise, Robin is already taking care of the issue himself, explaining, "When your mom got pregnant with you, we were very young, and dumb, both of us," he looks to her at that, and well, that's fair, and true, she supposes, "There was a misunderstanding and we ended up drifting apart-"

"What misunderstanding?" Henry interrupts.

Knowing her son, she knows Robin will have a hard time trying to keep him from what really happened between them, knows that he will try to get from Robin all the information he wants. But she is surprised when Robin's voice changes to a firmer tone, insisting, "That's between me and your mom, and we are working to fix it. That's not for you to worry about, we have the right to keep the details between us."

"Fine," Henry rolls his eyes, his shoulders slumping in defeat.

That was quite impressive. It has to be the first time she sees Robin taking control of the situation, and he handled it quite well. She can't even help but give him a nod of approval when his blue eyes meet hers, their attention being diverted from each other when Henry turns to Robin and says, "I'm sorry I talked about Marian that way. And I'm sorry if you thought I was mad at you. I really like you, I was just upset I didn't get to know you sooner."

Regina smiles at her son's words, smiles a little more when Robin pulls the boy into his arms.

"I really like you too, Henry. And I promise I will always be here for you from now on," he tells him, running his hand over Henry's hair, "I'm not going anywhere."

God, she thinks she could just cry. Seeing them like this, hugging each other like a father and son always should… she is not sure how she is being capable of keeping the tears at bay.

Before she could give it too much thought, Regina shifts in her chair to face the boy, her hand running up and down his arm as she tells him, "I'm glad you apologized to Robin, but I hope you understood you can't judge people like that, there are things you don't know."

"I know, mom," he nods, pulling back from Robin's arms to hug her next, "I won't do it again."

"Good," she smiles, kissing his head, "Now, about the food," she glances at Robin, earning a laugh from the blue-eyed man, "Are you in the mood to try a bit of everything?"

###

She was not really ready for the weekend to be over.

Lunch had gone far too quickly, and she found herself strapping Dylan in his car seat, while Robin loaded what's left of her bags into the trunk of her car.

"Have a safe trip," Robin had told her, placing a kiss on her cheek before whispering, "And text me when you get home?"

Regina had agreed, despite the fact he would spend most of the ride driving behind them. She was not used to having someone caring about her like this, but she couldn't deny that it actually felt good (it didn't hurt either that he was so good with Henry – hugging him goodbye and waiting for him to get into the car, before he had returned to his SUV himself).

This was it. They would be back to reality, and she had never been more reluctant than now.

She doesn't know how she will act around Robin from this point, not after the moments they spent together this weekend. She is actually glad the boys seem to be entertained in the back seat, giving her time to get lost in her thoughts for a moment.

The only sound in the car are the voices of the animated toys as Henry and Dylan watch the 'Toy Story' for the umpteenth time. It puts a smile on Regina's face, knowing that some things are never going to change. Robin may have lost most of Henry's childhood milestones, but he is still a kid, and there are so much more for Robin to look forward.

It makes her think about the conversation she had with him the night before, when he had asked her whether or not she was okay about Henry meeting his parents. Maybe she should talk to her son about it. She really wants Robin to be part of Henry's life now, but she also wants to make sure her son doesn't feel overwhelmed.

So she is actually thankful when is the boy who breaks the silence, the movie long forgotten as Henry tells her, "I really liked the weekend with Robin, mom."

Regina smiles, can't help it, takes a quick glance at the rearview mirror, before she relaxes in her seat, "Me too, baby… I actually have something I want to talk to you."

Henry leans forward at her words, no doubt curious about what his mother has to talk to him.

"Robin thought you would like to meet his parents, would you be okay with that?"

"Really?" Henry asks with a smile, though he doesn't quite reach his eyes, "That would be cool, but… do you think they will like me?"

That takes Regina by surprise, leaving her hesitant for a moment. Henry doesn't have the best experience with her own mother, but she doesn't believe the same will happen with Robin's parents.

"Sweetheart, I'm sure they will love you," Regina assures, because how wouldn't they? She knows it is suspicious coming from her, but Henry is a great kid, there's no reason for Robin's parents to dislike him, "From what I remember of Robin's mother, she was really sweet, and I don't believe Robin would want you to meet them, if they weren't interested."

She asks herself if her words are made to reassure herself or her son, but does it really matter? She wants Henry to have a good relationship with his grandparents, even if it's only possible having it with one side of the family.

"Will you be there?"

"I… I don't know, honey," Henry seems disappointed with her answer, but she can't promise something she doesn't know will be possible, "Maybe this is something you should do with Robin."

"I would feel better if you were there."

She stops at a red light, and she can't help turning in her seat to face him. She knows Robin will be there to reassure their son, but she also understands Henry's position. Though he really likes Robin a lot, Regina has been his mother his whole life, and she too would feel better if she could be present, to be honest.

But she needs to talk to Robin first, she doesn't want him to feel she doesn't trust him with Henry.

"Alright, I will talk to Robin about it."

Henry smiles and relaxes in his seat, and Regina can't help feeling a bit pleased that her almost teenage son keeps needing her by his side.

###

They arrive home just in time for the boys' bedtime, having to stop on the way when they started to complain they were hungry. Dylan was already fast asleep by the time Regina took him out of his car seat, so she had compromised on the bath time, putting him straight to bed as Henry told her he would take a shower himself – they have to get up early in the morning, so she had agreed that it would be better if he took the shower before bed, and in the meantime, she would unpack their bags.

She puts the dirty clothes directly into the washing machine, and spends another ten minutes just fixing the clean linen, before she returns to the laundry room. She would expect a weekend was not enough to get so many clothes dirty, but she should know that would be the rule with two boys at home - there is mud, and dirt, there's no way she will lie on her bed tonight without dealing with the dirty laundry.

So she finishes setting a washing machine before she reaches for her phone to send a message to Robin – she feels bad that she didn't send him the message sooner, but she wouldn't be able to sleep knowing about the pile of laundry waiting for her in the morning.

' _We arrived safe and sound. Dylan is already tucked in bed and Henry is taking a shower. Hope you had a safe drive home,'_ Regina types, closing the door of the laundry behind her and walking upstairs to check on her son.

Henry is already ready for bed, searching on his bag for the book he is currently reading and promising her he will just finish the chapter before he goes to sleep. She is not really able to tell him no, so she leaves him with his book, wishing him a good night before she slips into her own bedroom.

As she was expecting, there's a message of Robin waiting for her on the screen of her phone: ' _I did. Thank you so much again for the weekend, I haven't had such a good time in a while,'_ and she can't help but smile.

God knows how she loved her time with Robin, not to mention it had been the first time they had been able to be closer to each other. Their night together had been really special, and she had loved to see him so carefree, only worried about the here and now.

She answers him without thinking twice, typing quickly on her phone, _'Are you really talking about the weekend? Or something in particular?'_

It makes her blush, and she can't help but feel a bit sheepish when he tells her, ' _You know I love spending time with you and the boys, but, sure, the sex was great ;)'_

 _'_ _Smooth,'_ she teases, placing her phone on the nightstand as she reaches for her pajamas. She knows they can carry a conversation for hours on end, so she disappears into the bathroom to get ready for bed first, only picking up the phone again when she's already tucked under the sheets.

He writes, _'You had it coming, babe,'_ and well, that's fair, she supposes, but she is not really looking for phone sex tonight, not until everything that keeps them apart is resolved, at least.

So she types, _'True,'_ following by another text, in an attempt to return to safe topics, ' _I was wondering if you want to have Henry on Tuesday? He asked me one more time when he could see Roland again.'_

His answer is an immediate, ' _Of course, love, I was actually planning to ask you that. Roland has been nagging me to take him to the aquarium. I would be happy to take Dylan as well.'_

Regina thinks about Robin in the aquarium with three boys in tow, and can't help but cringe at the thought. It's not that she doesn't trust him, of course, and Henry is old enough to know how to behave, but Dylan is a baby, and Roland is an excited little boy, who will probably require his father's full attention as soon as he steps foot into the exhibition.

So yes, she could say she is not comfortable with the situation, even if she trusts Robin with her life.

 _'_ _Before you start overthinking, let me tell you that Neal will be joining us, so I think we will be able to take care of three boys.'_

Regina snorts, rolling her eyes, he knows her too well.

But, well, in that case… _'I can drop them at your house before I go to work... thank you.'_

 _'_ _No problem, love,'_ she reads, and then lies more comfortable in the bed, her eyes getting heavier as she drifts off to a deserved sleep.

* * *

 **Thank you for your reviews, guys!**


	24. Chapter 24

**Just a small chapter to prepare you for what comes next ;)**

* * *

Chapter 24.

Roland was stoked to find out Henry and Dylan would be joining them for the day. Regina had left them early in the morning at Robin's house, with Dylan's backpack on her back as she explained the science of baby schedules and dirty diapers.

"Regina, love, you do realize I have a four-year-old who left diapers just over two years ago," Robin had reminded her, scooping up Dylan into his arms and accepting the bag from his mother, "We will be alright."

Regina had smiled, though it didn't quite reach her eyes, "I know, I just…"

"You're a mother, I get it," Robin reassured, showing off his dimples in an attempt to comfort her. She had given in after a moment (maybe because she needed to get ready to go to work) and had left the boys with kisses on their heads, and a promise to call them somewhere around lunchtime.

Morning had come and gone, and she did fill Robin's cellphone with notifications – a message asking how was it going, and, ' _Did the boys tire you out already?_ '

Robin smiles, taking a picture of Henry and Roland on the touch tank, and another one of him and Dylan, as the baby slept soundly against Robin's shoulder, ' _I think Dylan has something to say about that._ '

"Hey, earth to Robin," Neal interrupts his moment, his lips tilting up in a smirk as the blue-eyed man focuses his attention on his friend, "If you're done with your girl over there, can we get going? Roland will be asking you to take a ray home if we spend another minute here."

Robin rolls his eyes, putting his phone back in the pocket of his jeans, before taking a seat in one of the chairs, "The boys are having fun," he reasons, "And, at least, they are not running around, we can just sit down for a minute."

Neal sighs, but takes the seat beside Robin, his eyes rolling one more time when his friend reaches for the cell phone once again.

It's another message from Regina, reacting to the pictures he previously sent. She sends a bunch of hearts to the one of both their boys, and another one apologizing for Dylan's nap time (she could've lent him the stroller if she had remembered).

And then he hears, "You're smitten."

Robin pauses, but decides to ignore his friend's words as he texts back to the brunette, ' _Not a problem. It's been quite a day for everyone._ '

"Are you two a thing?"

Jesus!

Robin sighs, clearly annoyed by his friend's question, but he turns in his seat to face Neal, almost waking up Dylan in the process – the baby shifts and stretches, but settles back against Robin's chest to, thankfully, pursue his nap.

"I don't want to talk about that in front of the boys, Henry may overhear," Robin tells him honestly, shifting his gaze towards his sons.

But Neal won't have any of that, arguing, "The boys are entertained, just like you said. C'mon, spill the beans."

He thinks back to his weekend with Regina, to the moments they spent together, and he can't help but wish everything was easier. He's not sure that they 'are a thing', and maybe he shouldn't spend so much time thinking about their future as a family, but he is very much ready for the war with Marian to be over, to just have a normal life with her and the boys. The hearing for Roland's custody is next week, and then, hopefully, everything will be clearer. But right now, as Neal asks him to put a label on his relationship with Regina, he's honestly not sure what to call it, and he doesn't think he should worry about that, either.

Only time will tell, he thinks to himself, but then he focuses his attention back on his friend, and realizes that Neal is still waiting for an answer, "It's complicated, alright?" he tells him more abruptly than he intended, his hand running up and down Dylan's back.

Neal seems to feel guilty for a minute, his hands raised as if he's ready to apologize, but Robin beats him to it, admitting, "I care about her… a lot. It's just a bad time to pursue a relationship, you know, she being my lawyer and all."

"That's rough," the other man agrees, perching his elbows on his knees and his chin on his hands, "How is that going, by the way? Roland's custody."

"A bloody mess, honestly," Robin tells him. Between the fight with Marian's fiancée, and the fact that she believes he is sleeping with Regina, he doesn't really know how everything will be handled in court, "Marian only has more reasons to hate me, and she still refuses to reach an agreement about Roland."

Neal scoffs, shaking his head, "You got yourself a real pain in the ass."

"Don't mention it," Robin sighs, spying his two sons wiping their wet hands in a nearby towel, "I would tell you the whole story, but I think the boys just got bored."

Soon enough, both Henry and Roland come rambling about their experience in the tank. Henry is more reserved, but his little boy keeps telling him about how slick the rays' skin is, and, ' _Papa, can we buy a toy in the shop?_ '

Well, at least he doesn't ask for a real one, Robin muses in his head, remembering Neal's words from earlier as they walk together towards the store.

###

She had told him she would be out of work at six PM at most, so it's with no surprise when she rings on his doorbell at 06:15 in the afternoon.

Robin can't help but feel a bit anxious – and nervous – knowing this will be the first time Regina will see Neal again after all these years.

It's not like they hate each other, they were not really friends at the time, but Emma is Regina's best friend, and he just doesn't want that what happened between those two gets in the middle of what he has with Regina right now.

He had also asked Neal to behave and avoid making jokes about his relationship with the brunette, to which his friend had, thankfully, agreed.

Neal is a good friend, though a bit inappropriate sometimes (he's pretty sure that's the reason why he got along so well with Emma in the first place, because they certainly share that personality trait). Regina would agree with him, he is sure, but it's really not his place to play matchmaker between their friends one more time, and he's not really sure he would want to.

"R'gina, papa got me and Dylan a ray!" his son's very excited voice comes from somewhere behind him, as Roland emerges from the living room with Henry and Neal following right behind.

"Oh, did he?" she asks pointlessly, but Robin can't help but laugh when she raises an eyebrow in his direction, an accusatory look on her beautiful face, "How come they always come home with gifts when they spend the day with you?"

He studies her face for signs of annoyance, but he can't really find any in her expression. She looks… amused, mostly, and he gathers the courage to tease her a little, his body moving closer to her to whisper, "I like to spoil my boys when I can… and I'm fairly shit at telling them no."

"Yes, you are," Regina agrees with a smile, her eyes shifting towards Neal as if only now she had realized he had been watching them the whole time. The boys are too entertained with their toys, so Robin is not really worried about what Henry may think of their exchange, but Neal is shamelessly focused, the beginning of a smirk forming on his lips.

"Regina, you remember Neal," he chooses to end with both their suffering, giving his friend a little space to greet the brunette. God, this is so awkward, it actually feels he is back in high school, introducing his new girlfriend to his pals.

If only he could say she was really his girlfriend…

It's been only two days since he had the opportunity to kiss those lips, and he already misses having her close to him. He misses running his hands over those dark curls, the little hums on the back of her throat as he kissed her senselessly Saturday night. She is so beautiful. Even in her work clothes, that pencil skirt is not doing him any favors in keeping his feelings at bay.

And then she asks him, "Can I talk to you for a minute?" and thank God, yes, he would give everything for a moment alone with her right now.

Robin nods his head, and turns his face to meet Neal, asking him, "Can you keep an eye on the boys for me?" to which his friend's answer is an immediate, "Sure."

"Come with me, we will have more privacy in the office," Robin reaches for her hand, leading her down the narrow corridor. He is almost sure she didn't ask for a moment alone to make out with him, but he tells himself he will take what he can get. He only hopes that everything is alright, and that this is not something about the process of Roland's custody.

"So, you want to talk?" Robin asks, closing the door behind him as she takes a seat on the couch, "I'm going to be honest, I was hoping you wanted to use this time to do something else than talking."

Her shoulders shake when she laughs, and Robin feels a little better to see that if she is laughing at this, then maybe what she wants to tell him is not so serious after all, "I _do_ want to talk to you. It's about Henry."

"Henry?" Robin asks, feeling a bit surprised by that. Henry was the last person he thought she wanted to talk about. The boy seems alright.

But Regina is nodding her head, explaining, "I talked to him about meeting your parents. He seems okay with that, but he asked me if I could be present. I told him I would have to talk to you first," her teeth trap her bottom lip, and Robin can see she feels a little guilty for having to ask such thing, "I tried to tell him this is something he should do with _you_ , but I don't want him to feel uncomfortable-"

"Of course, love, that's understandable," Robin interrupts, because how can she feel guilty for being protective over their son? He would certainly do the same thing, "Do you think it would help if I talked to him myself?"

Regina grimaces in response, tilts her head to the side, and well, that's obviously a blunt 'no'.

But God bless this woman, because she clearly wants to protect him when she tells him, "Maybe it would…"

"You don't have to say that to make me feel better, love," Robin smiles, but Regina shakes her head.

"It's not that, it's just…" she sighs, "I really want you to be part of Henry's life now, and I want to give you the opportunity to be his father. That won't happen if I keep hiding him under my wing."

"Regina, I won't be mad at you for wanting to protect our son," Robin reassures.

"I know, and I didn't think you would be mad," she explains, moving a bit to the side to give Robin some room to sit beside her, "But I don't want you to feel like Henry doesn't trust you, because that's really not-"

"Of course not, I don't think that," Robin assures, his fingers wrapping around hers to give her hand a squeeze, "I can talk to my mother, I'm sure she won't mind if you go with us."

Regina nods her head, but she also leans against him to hide her face in the crook of his neck, a breath of air leaving her nose as she admits, "This is so awkward, Robin."

"Why?"

"Why? Because I kept her from meeting her grandson," Regina tells him, his hand sliding up and down the expanse of her back. She relaxes a little at his gesture, and he doesn't talk for a while. It's true, it can be awkward, but he also knows his mother is not one for holding a grudge against people, "She probably hates me, and she's right."

"She doesn't hate you," Robin is quick to assure, but Regina hums doubtful, without never pulling away from his hold, "She doesn't, especially because she knows how much I like you."

 _That_ has her leaning back to look at his face. She seems touched by his words, though he's sure she already knew how much she always meant to him. It was always her. The one who owns a place in his heart, the one with whom he wants to have a future with.

Robin cups her cheek in his hand, his thumb moving smoothly over soft skin. He can't believe he let her run away from him eleven years ago, can't believe how stupid he was to give up so easily.

He just wants to hold her in his arms and never let go again. Wants to kiss those lips and promise her he will be here, for her, for Henry, for Dylan whenever the boy needs a father figure in his life.

"We… we can't, Robin," he hears her muttering under her breath, and only then he realizes he had moved closer than he expected.

But, honestly, they are alone, and if they don't take advantage of these moments, when can they have a moment to themselves?

So he asks, "We don't?", but puts a little more distance between them anyway, her own fingers tracing his dimples as she looks at him with an apologetic look on her face.

"We are not alone in the middle of nowhere anymore," she points out, clearly fighting against her own wishes. He doesn't need to be reminded that they are not at the lake house anymore, he's pretty aware of that, but they are locked inside his house, without no one around who will spill the beans about their relationship, is it really that much of a difference? "The boys are next door, in the living room, with your friend, to say the least."

"Neal knows how I feel about you," Robin admits, as she raises an eyebrow teasingly at him, "He kept bugging me about it the whole afternoon. He probably thinks we jerked each other off already," he can't help but smirk at the shocked look on her face, his thumb circling the red color that just appeared on her cheeks, "And that's why I know he won't let the boys come barging in, searching for us. We're safe."

Her eyes roll at his words, but she can't help but smile as she teases, "I won't put my hand down your pants, just because you're convinced your friend is playing watchman for us."

"I wasn't thinking about _that_ ", he defends, because, _Jesus_ , it's not like he thinks about sex every time he is alone with her... But to be honest, "I'll take what I can get."

It makes her laugh, at least, and it's just another bonus when she moves her bare leg to rest on his lap. He can see the mischievous look on her face, knows very well she doesn't mean to do anything and it's only doing it to tease him.

So he is actually surprised when she moves closer to him, her hand moves to his neck, and Robin barely catches her words as she tells him, "I'll see what I can do."

And then, she's the one kissing him.

Using the hand on his neck to keep him close, Robin's own palm moving up and down her bare calf - she _did_ make a point of making it available for him, so he's bloody sure he will touch her all she lets him.

He moves his hand up until he's squeezing at her thigh, and pulls her even closer to him, in such a way that she's now half sitting on his legs, both limbs scattered across his lap instead of just one. And so, he lets himself enjoy it. Runs his tongue over her upper lip, silently asking her to welcome him into her mouth.

She does. Parts her lips to tangle her tongue with his, but only for a moment until her hands bury in his hair, urging his head back to tread kiss after kiss down the column of his neck.

 _God_ , it was a bad idea, he should know better than tease her at this point.

But two can play this game, he thinks, and the hand on her thigh moves to grasp the hem of her skirt, tugging it up her leg enough to grope the curve of her ass. It earns him a moan from her as he gives it a squeeze, her lips closing firmly around his pulse point and sucking greedily at his flesh.

They are probably past the safe zone at this point. It was supposed to be only something to end with their misery, not a full make-out session that will leave him wanting her even more.

To be fair, he doesn't think he will ever stop wanting Regina, but, _fuck_ , the feel of her skin under his palm, and her tongue running over his flesh… he might just die right here.

"Babe," he breathes, taking the opportunity she pulls back to press his lips to hers one more time, because, this should be something for her to enjoy too, and he would never miss a chance to make her feel good.

He kisses, and touches, and can't help but smirk when she lets out this little whine, the time flying by as they are so caught up with each other.

And then he hears a guilty, "Guys, I'm so sorry," followed by a knock on the office door, "I think Dylan has some kind of present for you in that diaper."

Regina pulls away with a laugh, while Robin just really wants to punch his friend. Really? Who the hell doesn't know how to change a diaper?

Regina is biting her lip, clearly amused with the situation, and well, at least he didn't come barging in, and they weren't interrupted by the kids themselves, that would've been awkward.

But Robin can't help but groan, teasing, "Can't you change the diaper yourself?"

"I… I can try," Neal says from the other side of the door, but Regina decides to end with his misery.

"I will be out in a minute," she tells him, both frozen in their spots until they hear the sound of footsteps walking down the hallway.

And then, there's silence, with Regina carefully running her thumb over his lips, clearly wiping the remains of her lipstick from Robin's mouth, "That color doesn't suit you."

Robin chuckles at her words, but tells her, "I think it does," before stealing another kiss from her.

This one is quick, a lot more gentle than the ones they previously shared, but it makes him melt all the same, as he hesitantly pulls back and away from her, for good, "I told you it wouldn't be the boys to interrupt us this time."

"You were right," she laughs, standing up from her seat to reach for her bag, "Maybe I should listen to you more often."

"Maybe you should," he teases, leaning back.

He takes a moment to watch her fix her makeup, and he's once again struck by her beauty.

Her lipstick is smudged due to the kisses they just shared, and he thinks to himself that she didn't even need any makeup at all, that she's already gorgeous on her own. In fact, the Regina without makeup is probably his favorite - with anything getting in the way of her big dark eyes and those soft and brilliant lips.

But he won't deny and say that watching her getting ready is not sexy, because, well, there's something about watching her taking care of herself that does things to him.

"So," Robin stands up to step closer to her, leaning back against his desk instead, "I will talk to my mother about Henry."

Regina nods, and puts her lipstick back into her purse, looking up at him and telling him, "Thank you, I appreciate it. And… I'm sorry-"

"Regina, don't apologize," he reaches for her hands one more time, intertwining his fingers with hers, "I told you, I understand. Henry wants you there, and to be honest… I would pretty much love to have you there too," Robin admits, and he's glad to see her smile, because he's only telling her the truth, "And don't worry about my parents, alright?"

"Easier said than done," she mutters under her breath, "I promise I will try, but I want to, at least, talk to your mother and explain what happened. I won't feel comfortable if I don't talk to her first," he understands that, the need to explain herself and apologize, and he knows his mother will know how to deal with the situation, knows she will not just blame Regina for what happened. She will listen, "I feel really bad for what I did, Robin, and I know you are not mad anymore, but there are more people involved… and they deserve an explanation."

His lips curve into a smile, his hands giving hers a little squeeze meant to comfort her, "Alright," he tells her, genuinely, "If you'll feel more comfortable."

"I will," she assures, before pulling back from his hold, "Now, I really should go, Neal sounded really desperate about Dylan's diaper."

Robin laughs, and can't help rolling his eyes at his friend's behavior, "Yeah, maybe we should see what's happening outside."

###

The last few days had been good, peaceful, and Robin would pretty much like to keep it that way.

He will not argue with Marian today, will ignore her fiancée's attempts of getting on his nerves, and will just be cordial with his ex-wife, if only for their four-year-old's sake.

Robin is in a good mood since they spent that wonderful weekend at the lake house, and not even Marian will be able to bring him down today.

At least, that's what Robin tells himself as he waits for his son's mother to open the door, his hand running softly over Roland's dark curls, maybe in an unconscious attempt to settle his own nerves.

Soon enough, Marian opens the door to an excited little boy. Roland immediately starts telling her about their day at the aquarium, about the rays and the sharks, and how he hadn't been afraid of touching them when papa took them to the touch tank.

Marian kneels in front of their son and smiles, thankfully (he thinks?) ignoring Robin's presence as she listens attentively to every detail Roland shares about their previous day - Robin had been worried it would get awkward when their son would start telling her about Henry, and Dylan, but Marian seems nonchalant about that, only happy to see the dimpled smile on their son's face.

When he finally shows her his ray toy, Marian can't help but laugh at Roland's obsession with stuffed animals. Her hand runs gently over his hair, and her voice is tentative as she tells him, "Don't you want to leave the ray with papa? You already have a lot of animals here."

"Sorry," Robin grimaces when their son starts whining a 'Noo'. He tells them he will take the ray with him every time he goes to Robin's house, and neither of them has the heart to say no, it's just another toy, after all, it's no big deal.

"And Dylan has a ray too! But Henry chose a puzzle, he doesn't like animals anymore," Roland continues to ramble, clearly confused about how someone would waste the opportunity to take a stuffed ray home. And then he remembers - to Robin's complete surprise, "Henry said I could play with the puzzle too, and he will help me because he is my big brother!"

Robin's eyes widen at his son's words, quickly searching in his mind when _that_ could've happened - probably when he was locked inside his office with Regina, kissing her senselessly, instead of supervising his sons' talk.

Stupid. He is so stupid, believing this issue would go unnoticed between the two boys. What if Roland had already talked to Marian about this? What if this is the reason why she doesn't seem that surprised to know that her son keeps spending so much time with Regina's kids?

Robin hears something resembled to "Henry seems a nice friend," coming from Marian's mouth, but he can't be really sure, lost in his thoughts as he is.

He needs to talk to Marian, and he needs to do it now.

"Hey, Roland, why don't you take the ray to your room?" Robin tries, hoping to God it will work when he tells him, "I bet he would like to meet your other animals."

Thankfully for Robin, his excuse seems to be good enough for a four-year-old, and Roland is quick to agree with his father, telling him that it's a really a good idea before disappearing into the hallway.

Right... and now he's alone with Marian, and she keeps staring at him, clearly waiting for answers.

As he was expecting, she's the first one to break the silence, promptly asking, "What was that about?"

Robin sighs, and runs his hand over his hair, asking back, "Have he mentioned this before?"

He can almost see Marian's brain working, but he's not really sure what she's thinking. At least, not until he sees what appears to be realization in her eyes, her shoulders dropping almost disappointed when she tells him, "I know what's happening."

Oh, God, this can't be good, not by the way she says those words.

"You probably don't-"

"I have known it since the first time we talked about this," Marian interrupts, "You are with Regina."

Robin sighs, can't help it. He can understand why she thinks this, and it would make sense that Roland would call Henry brother if their parents were together, but unfortunately, that's not the case, and he makes a point of telling her so, "I'm not with Regina, she's just a friend."

Marian seems unconvinced, that little pout in her lips letting him know that much. He knows her as well as she claims to know him, and her body language is pretty clear in this case: she doesn't believe him.

"It's clear that you like her, Robin."

Well... there's really no point in denying that anymore, is it?

Lord help him for what he decides to do next.

"I... I do," he admits, sighing, "I can't help the way I feel."

Marian nods her head, crossing her arms in front of her chest in a protective manner, "I knew it the day you came warning me about Keith... that was clearly not just about defending her honor."

"But we are not together," Robin insists, decided to take that thought out of her mind, "You know it wouldn't be easy. And I could ruin everything... I will always put Roland first, and you know that."

"I know you are a good father," Marian sighs, defeated, "And I don't want to push you away from him."

"You don't?" his gaze shifts towards her, a glimmer of hope shining in his blue eyes.

For a moment, he actually believes Marian will give in. Believes that they will be able to reach an agreement, possibly share Roland's custody equally. But Marian starts running away from him, literally, leaves him standing in the doorway as she makes her way towards the living room, taking a seat on the couch and looking like a scared animal in the spotlight. And then she is telling him, "But you know that it's not that simple. You know we can't even have a civilized conversation-"

"We are doing it right now," Robin points out, because this is bullshit, and he's tired, "I'm sick of the court, Marian-"

"You only want to quit so you can finally be with her!" Marian argues, leaving Robin completely speechless.

Wh... What? Where is the Marian of a few minutes ago? The one who _knows_ Roland is the most important person in his life?

"You know it's not about that," Robin tells her, and because he's not the only one whom the court is standing in the way of life, "And don't pretend it doesn't bother you that you can't even marry Keith without informing the court!"

It's absolutely the wrong thing to say, and Robin is not even sure he knows why. Tears start to gather in Marian's eyes, her fingers moving quickly to wipe the ones that dare to fall down her cheeks.

"I... I broke up with him," Marian tells him, and Robin feels an idiot all over again, doesn't even stop to think before taking a seat on the couch beside the brunette, "He was cheating on me... his attempt to flirt with Regina was the least of my problems."

Fuck... That wanker. Robin never believed he would actually keep another relationship on Marian's back. He always thought he was probably just a drunk asshole who tried to flirt with women in bars, but actually have another affair... fuck.

"I'm so sorry, Marian," he reaches for her hand and gives it a squeeze, feels a lot worse for her when she shakes her head, dismissing.

"Don't be," she tells him, decided, pulling her hand back from his hold, "I didn't really want someone like him near Roland." Well, he knows she's being sincere, but it doesn't mean it doesn't hurt all the same. She must've really liked Keith to have accepted marry him after such a short period of time, especially having a small child from another relationship. It wasn't a simple decision, and she chose to do it anyway, she is allowed to cry if she wants to, "You tried to tell me, and I didn't believe you-"

"I can understand why," Robin interrupts, because it's not like it's her fault.

He likes Marian. He doesn't _love_ her, but she's the mother of his younger son, so yes, Robin likes her, and he takes no pleasure in seeing her suffer.

For a moment, they just sit there in silence, and Robin doesn't even know how to act to comfort her. He tries to run his hand over her bicep to soothe her, but she actually seems uncomfortable with his touches.

"I..." she puts a little more distance between them, turning completely to face her ex-husband, "I won't say a word in court if you want to pursue a relationship with Regina."

"Marian-"

"I'm serious, Robin," Marian interrupts, and yes, she seems... honest. It's a little strange, though, his ex-wife telling him she will have his back in case he wants to have a relationship with his lawyer, who is fighting against her over their son's custody, "Roland loved Keith, and I had to take that away from him. He seems to like Regina, the least I can do is to make sure he won't lose her too because of me."

Her explanation makes a little more sense in Robin's head, and he wishes it could be that simple. No matter how hard it is for him to admit, Marian is not the only one in the way of a future with the lawyer, and he's not sure if both he and Regina would be ready to deal with the consequences.

So Robin takes a deep breath, his shoulders dropping in defeat as he tells her, "I appreciate it, Marian, I do, but... things are not that simple."

"Oh... doesn't she feel the same way about you?"

If that was the problem...

"She does," Robin tells her, pictures of their moment together in the lake house popping in his mind. He is in love with Regina and he is almost certain he can say she feels the same way about him. But there is the problem that she is his lawyer, and he can't help but wonder if he _really_ can trust Marian with this issue, even if he feels a little bit guilty about it. Either way, he tells her, "She is my lawyer, and I doubt her company would approve a relationship between us. It's wrong. She could even lose her job, and I will not put that at risk."

"I understand," Marian nods, giving him a sympathetic smile herself, "But if you're not together, what did Roland mean when he said Henry is his brother?"

Shit. He's screwed.

He thought they were past this topic of conversation, but apparently not.

His heart starts beating frantically in his chest, because he _knows_ he can't run away anymore.

He has to tell her. There's no way back.

So Robin clears his throat, sits straight in his seat, and prays to God he's not about to make the biggest mistake of his life.

"How long do you think you have?"

* * *

 **Thoughts? :)**


End file.
